tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46252645758754585062024-03-19T00:12:32.133-04:00Steam-powered GamerThe Industrial Era of Gamingwhitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comBlogger242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-82914192835035858702014-01-06T09:19:00.000-05:002014-01-06T09:19:16.685-05:00January 4th Steamroller Results<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwhuYovNJE63g4K5AtCt5tKm-zltVHlTl6LkpKJ7bE1_p245zhajUKE_eeszELLeap4ZeYk1YrXVLQXIwTQps3gc1PG6YS8PW21z74Wihbs1jFH3kRJc-X8hsrMfGMDe_t8T1fuiOlSbH/s1600/steam+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwhuYovNJE63g4K5AtCt5tKm-zltVHlTl6LkpKJ7bE1_p245zhajUKE_eeszELLeap4ZeYk1YrXVLQXIwTQps3gc1PG6YS8PW21z74Wihbs1jFH3kRJc-X8hsrMfGMDe_t8T1fuiOlSbH/s1600/steam+man.jpg" height="247" width="320"></a></div>
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First of all, I'm back! I may not update as often as I did in the past, but I will try to update the blog more often now. At the very least, I will be using it to post results from any tournaments that I run. Oh yeah! I finally filled out my application for Press Ganger!<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2014/01/january-4th-steamroller-results.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-84646107374280543462013-06-17T19:56:00.001-04:002013-06-17T19:57:08.073-04:00Warmachine/Hordes Campaign: Building the Iron Kingdoms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know that it has been exactly 2 months since my last post but I promise today will make it worth it. I have been working on a campaign inspired by one which I witnessed almost 4 years ago. A Press Ganger and friend ran a kingdom building campaign using the <a href="http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440152a&prodId=prod1050157">Mighty Empires</a> tiles for some locals at The Whiz back when Mk. II was in its infancy. It was through watching these guys play games and build their own mini kingdoms that got be interested in playing Warmachine/Hordes, and I hope that the campaign I have been working on will inspire someone else to join the game. The version I have worked on has many of the same features as the one I witnessed, with some minor tweaks and some additional features (like faction specific advantages) which I hope will fully revive the campaign while keeping in the same spirit. I have also clarified some of the terminology and even color-coded terms to make it easier to read and understand.</div>
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I will be running this campaign starting in the middle of July for 6 weeks (actual start date has not yet been determined) at <a href="https://www.thebattlestandard.com/">The Battle Standard</a> in Manchester, CT. There will be a low entry fee to play in the campaign which will go towards prizes (likely trophies). I will announce the finalized details soon.</div>
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Without further ado I present to you:</div>
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<b><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByzZngJlRxYIc1VYaWp6YVl3RUU/edit?usp=sharing">Building the Iron Kingdoms Campaign</a></b></div>
whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-56015930815708618762013-04-17T12:54:00.000-04:002013-04-17T12:54:05.435-04:00Lists Galore!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3foh8FSI30MiXyF2dZZXXWaaBgeoc-Zoz2oYuqLyiYOZUZh0mBQvT6FCgAVh2BKzVbBitPbAsAeKzKm3TvwdwK8Q0wH7e_yauRyvMcozdr2_QPNlrkO6wjv01LpunzTg0u0kWPR6uYHR/s1600/Merc-Faction-Logo-Thumb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3foh8FSI30MiXyF2dZZXXWaaBgeoc-Zoz2oYuqLyiYOZUZh0mBQvT6FCgAVh2BKzVbBitPbAsAeKzKm3TvwdwK8Q0wH7e_yauRyvMcozdr2_QPNlrkO6wjv01LpunzTg0u0kWPR6uYHR/s1600/Merc-Faction-Logo-Thumb.png"></a></div>
2013: The Year of Mercenaries continues! This weekend is going to be my first 35 point tournament with my Mercenaries and I'm really nervous. I already have my Connie list playtested and ready to go but I'm nervous about my options for my second list. There are a couple of models that I still need to find (look for an asterisk * for models I don't own yet) but I'm confident that I can get what I want for Connie, not so much for my other options for lists. Today I'll share the Connie list that I want to run with a brief justification about some of the changes I've made recently, and then I'll share a couple optional lists in order of likelihood of running. To keep things fairly brief I will include a quick pros and cons of matchups for each list so you can understand my misgivings and why I'm not exactly excited about any particular list. Let's start with Connie:<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/04/lists-galore.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-81379770435492691502013-04-09T13:24:00.000-04:002013-04-10T12:22:26.170-04:00List Building: Ashlynn D'Elyse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbJL81xbIZo83fWOi-fxWX8bTqWST2kneq8o8jfJHhSztuUQIvQG_HfHhDqqmWmdSS-ljHUie_83gvX975Y2W0iJ4NLRkSGOUkFBN3YetexCT-OIKYHB9SWlwqvB7PaeJrRK6VDRn0vPt/s1600/tyr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbJL81xbIZo83fWOi-fxWX8bTqWST2kneq8o8jfJHhSztuUQIvQG_HfHhDqqmWmdSS-ljHUie_83gvX975Y2W0iJ4NLRkSGOUkFBN3YetexCT-OIKYHB9SWlwqvB7PaeJrRK6VDRn0vPt/s320/tyr.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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As I have said before, I'm trying to make 2013 the year of Mercenaries for me and so the faction is receiving all of my attention. While I've loved playing with Fiona in the past, I'm afraid that with the meta changing she's not quite able to keep up with the tools at her disposal right now, and so I've been looking for a new tournament caster to replace her. I've had lots of success with Connie so she'll be my first list tournament caster, but I'm in the market for a second. Consequently, I've started looking at Ashlynn D'Elyse again because her feat is kinda similar in effect to Fiona's but with an offensive component to it too, so I feel like her playstyle might be a little similar but a little more aggressive like Connie since Ashlynn is both difficult to assassinate and offensively scary for an opponent to deal with. Ashlynn will also compliment my Connie list well, where Connie will be great at dealing with a lot of Hordes lists with her volume of attacks, I'm going to build Ashlynn to deal with lots of high-ARM as I believe her feat and her spells allow her to deal with these types fairly well. Let's start by looking at her feat: <i>Roulette</i>.<br>
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</div><a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/04/list-building-ashlynn-delyse.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-8745304593408370722013-04-04T13:57:00.002-04:002013-04-04T13:57:44.306-04:002013 - Year of Mercenaries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwhuYovNJE63g4K5AtCt5tKm-zltVHlTl6LkpKJ7bE1_p245zhajUKE_eeszELLeap4ZeYk1YrXVLQXIwTQps3gc1PG6YS8PW21z74Wihbs1jFH3kRJc-X8hsrMfGMDe_t8T1fuiOlSbH/s1600/steam+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwhuYovNJE63g4K5AtCt5tKm-zltVHlTl6LkpKJ7bE1_p245zhajUKE_eeszELLeap4ZeYk1YrXVLQXIwTQps3gc1PG6YS8PW21z74Wihbs1jFH3kRJc-X8hsrMfGMDe_t8T1fuiOlSbH/s320/steam+man.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I decided that 2013 would be the year I would focus on my Mercenary collection. I've had my Mercenaries for a long time now and it started back when Mk. II was still really fresh and I loved the idea of the Broadsides Bart theme force - a bunch of Mariners with their ship guns blazing away was just too awesome to pass up! I shelved them for a while and later picked up Fiona because I thought she was cool and I thought that she'd be quite powerful if I focused my efforts on her. Last year I came up with a list I was pretty proud of and playtested her a little, but she never got the focus she deserved. I decided at the end of last year that I would focus on my Mercs for 2013 and that I would further keep a <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AizZngJlRxYIdEFpakg2WkdwcWh5anV1aEFFcVNjc1E&usp=sharing">log</a> of my games so I could accurately reflect back on my gaming experience for the year. Well, it's been 3 months so far and I figured it was time to analyze my results so far.<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-year-of-mercenaries.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-68576142089341060062013-04-01T13:41:00.001-04:002013-04-01T13:41:11.885-04:00Thinking Cap: Reeves of Orboros<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zYTSUxHfUDBKpAwAfjWxqY8oPX0oJFsZ0g-IdWG6QouTj-c630mfAi6x25EKq-EgetkdRtAuO5iRWkaNVJt0vN6wt8LmHf4bYX1iE189YgtWdhdtzzN5p8GhTetb38_KaeMVz7_6cTk4/s1600/steampunk-thinking-helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zYTSUxHfUDBKpAwAfjWxqY8oPX0oJFsZ0g-IdWG6QouTj-c630mfAi6x25EKq-EgetkdRtAuO5iRWkaNVJt0vN6wt8LmHf4bYX1iE189YgtWdhdtzzN5p8GhTetb38_KaeMVz7_6cTk4/s320/steampunk-thinking-helmet.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I know what you're thinking. Anyone who's played with Circle has probably looked at Reeves, thought they were neat and then laughed when they saw the cost of the unit. Furthermore, anyone who's actually <i>played</i> with the unit will probably even agree that they are difficult to use effectively at best or lackluster at worst. They have some neat tricks with War Wolves but the synergy can be a bit off (if a War Wolf charges a target that you shot at, you'll have a hard time shooting that same target again to get another War Wolf in there to trigger <i>Gang Fighter</i>). Indeed, even the UA doesn't seem to offer much as <i>Ranked Attacks</i> is not as helpful when a ranged unit is the one that has the ability. To top it all off, they're pricey and if you really want to max out all of their synergies you're looking at 17 points (full unit + UA, 3 War Wolves, and the Reeve Hunter). That's a lot of points for a bunch of models which will still have a hard time. So I got to thinking and I may have found someone who could make them far more effective: epic Morvahna.<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/04/thinking-cap-reeves-of-orboros.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-11289217574676387822013-03-26T13:49:00.000-04:002013-03-26T13:49:30.504-04:00New England Team Tournament 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShmWTuvgx9XbOXf_v98oZEQJu_24s9Y5_2mbpFOLeXY8Oiya_r-3ddZPIlHIjVHHHix7HrlXLemaAnsh6pJ_grUYl0ftGG2aF84HOuKeLKw-FoDaccVylSdUgKR8h68T1fvYXQaIpG97C/s1600/NETT+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShmWTuvgx9XbOXf_v98oZEQJu_24s9Y5_2mbpFOLeXY8Oiya_r-3ddZPIlHIjVHHHix7HrlXLemaAnsh6pJ_grUYl0ftGG2aF84HOuKeLKw-FoDaccVylSdUgKR8h68T1fvYXQaIpG97C/s320/NETT+Trophy.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I just realized today that the New England Team Tournament (NETT) is less than 4 months away. It's currently scheduled for July 13th and this year I have to make some difficult decisions. The first decision, of course, is whether I should even attend.<br>
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</div><a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-england-team-tournament-2013.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-90033104019524494892013-03-22T13:22:00.002-04:002013-03-22T13:22:57.789-04:00Showcase: Gorten and Connie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I've been busy painting up some of my models in between moving-in my fiancee and getting ready for some visitors this weekend. While I certainly have a lot to paint (forge guard are next on the painting table) I have been able to finish painting two warcasters: Gorten Grundback and Constance Blaze! Connie has been a pleasure to play with and I'm looking forward to playing with her more but I need a couple of models before I feel comfortable fielding Gorten (I only have a Basher for a warjack). Even still I managed to paint both models and I figured I'd show them off!<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/03/showcase-gorten-and-connie.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-1705428704806649472013-03-15T17:31:00.000-04:002013-03-15T17:31:54.695-04:00Project Press Ganger: Battlegroups!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljkufuSVypyZbpMmVfW83s7IL0vyhqaap87NzNkl02BbPz0R5sfl5m5BeM8m3HCAo6wFxGuAd5Hfzy-KISM29ALEQ9i3i_YgxLA_jw1qxnh6qFv-Vv-s6NuzA2iE6HI0EkwcZhRJBOiZg/s1600/challenge+accepted.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljkufuSVypyZbpMmVfW83s7IL0vyhqaap87NzNkl02BbPz0R5sfl5m5BeM8m3HCAo6wFxGuAd5Hfzy-KISM29ALEQ9i3i_YgxLA_jw1qxnh6qFv-Vv-s6NuzA2iE6HI0EkwcZhRJBOiZg/s320/challenge+accepted.png" width="320"></a></div>
It's been a while now but for those who weren't aware, I want to be a Press Ganger. My regular job takes a big time commitment but my spare time is mostly spent on Warmachine/Hordes and I've had some experience running tournaments in the past. I love Warmachine/Hordes and I want to give back to the community and help new people get into the game. I'm already a teacher so it's a natural interest for me and plays to my strengths! I like to think that I'm a good player, know the rules, and am fun to play against (or at least am helpful for those who are looking for advice) so I hope that Privateer Press will agree that I'd be a good candidate to be a Press Ganger. That's all well and good, but there are, of course, some requirements for applying to be a Press Ganger and one of those requirements is making sure that you have fully painted models to demo games with, and that's admittedly been an area of weakness for me. That ends today, however! I <i>finally</i> got two battlegroups fully painted for Hordes!<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/03/project-press-ganger-battlegroups.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-35175355717963019752013-03-01T12:31:00.000-05:002013-03-01T12:31:57.337-05:00List Building: Constance Blaze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbJL81xbIZo83fWOi-fxWX8bTqWST2kneq8o8jfJHhSztuUQIvQG_HfHhDqqmWmdSS-ljHUie_83gvX975Y2W0iJ4NLRkSGOUkFBN3YetexCT-OIKYHB9SWlwqvB7PaeJrRK6VDRn0vPt/s1600/tyr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbJL81xbIZo83fWOi-fxWX8bTqWST2kneq8o8jfJHhSztuUQIvQG_HfHhDqqmWmdSS-ljHUie_83gvX975Y2W0iJ4NLRkSGOUkFBN3YetexCT-OIKYHB9SWlwqvB7PaeJrRK6VDRn0vPt/s320/tyr.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I've been buying and collecting some models for the past 6 months but I have not done a lick of painting. Between school and planning for the wedding and new computer/video games, I've been so distracted from Warmachine/Hordes. I have been playing games, though, and even gotten some prize support at tournaments so I've been collecting models nonetheless. Yesterday I spent a good couple of hours putting some of these models together, followed by some list building. In the next couple of weeks I plan on sharing some of these list ideas as this year I want to focus on playing with Mercenaries! Today I want to share a list I created for using Constance Blaze as a mercenary warcaster and I have to say, I'm pretty amused by it. I will also share why I like taking the idea of taking Connie as a Mercenary warcaster instead of a Cygnarian one.<br>
<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/03/list-building-constance-blaze.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-62851323596232423422013-02-14T12:51:00.000-05:002013-02-14T12:51:06.908-05:00Challenge Accepted: Nemo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljkufuSVypyZbpMmVfW83s7IL0vyhqaap87NzNkl02BbPz0R5sfl5m5BeM8m3HCAo6wFxGuAd5Hfzy-KISM29ALEQ9i3i_YgxLA_jw1qxnh6qFv-Vv-s6NuzA2iE6HI0EkwcZhRJBOiZg/s1600/challenge+accepted.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljkufuSVypyZbpMmVfW83s7IL0vyhqaap87NzNkl02BbPz0R5sfl5m5BeM8m3HCAo6wFxGuAd5Hfzy-KISM29ALEQ9i3i_YgxLA_jw1qxnh6qFv-Vv-s6NuzA2iE6HI0EkwcZhRJBOiZg/s320/challenge+accepted.png" width="320"></a></div>
Nemo is one of the few warcasters out there who has been lucky enough to have 3 different versions of himself. He's always been one of my favorite warcasters conceptually and his models (at least the newest versions) all look pretty great - dynamic while maintaining his character and personality. While I began playing Cygnar with his epic form, I've recently been revisiting the idea of playing with the prime form: <i>Commander</i> Adept Nemo - one who is mostly considered one of the worst incarnations of Nemo, let alone the worst <i>Cygnarian</i> warcaster. Naturally my response has been, "Challenge Accepted!" and so I've decided that I want to make him work. It also helps that I already have a solid tournament warcaster for Cygnar in Kara Sloan and so I've been looking for a good, complimentary warcaster to run in a 2-list tournament with her, so maybe with some time and practice Nemo can make the cut! Let me share my list with you and some of the justifications, as well as some other ideas I've tossed around and potential tweaks I might make if playtesting doesn't go so well.<br>
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</div><a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/02/challenge-accepted-nemo.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-46489658350034701042013-02-11T10:58:00.001-05:002013-02-11T10:58:57.102-05:00Convergence of Cyriss thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ud16BO8-B9ukIPlnssLBvmv_rjBiHkGHg-Af5d3pnwUvZ0RbsKTpBJ9RGJaM0n7NX4PE02k1Zw5mWnhHBv_8upJXxS95myZwv3ORIc4TAuJfosUp8jqRN61znuKM2hg5J6x84knrqHF7/s1600/convergence-of-cyriss-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ud16BO8-B9ukIPlnssLBvmv_rjBiHkGHg-Af5d3pnwUvZ0RbsKTpBJ9RGJaM0n7NX4PE02k1Zw5mWnhHBv_8upJXxS95myZwv3ORIc4TAuJfosUp8jqRN61znuKM2hg5J6x84knrqHF7/s320/convergence-of-cyriss-01.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I, like many of you, was extremely excited to hear the announcement by Privateer Press that they were releasing a new faction for Warmachine. Of course there were some grumpy people complaining about Retribution and Minions needing more love, but generally I think everyone was pretty excited about the new faction. There's simultaneously not much and a lot to talk about the new faction and without knowing much about them, I figured it would still be good to review some of what we know about the faction. There are some things we can expect and assume from the announcement video but there are also some things we <i>can't </i>assume yet and those issues need to be mentioned too.<br>
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If you haven't already seen the announcement video (or you need a refresher), take a look at it here:<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/02/convergence-of-cyriss-thoughts.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-26686484574597212682013-02-01T08:39:00.001-05:002013-02-01T10:14:46.394-05:00Semi-live at Templecon!<p>With Privateer Press losing their equipment, they won't be doing their live feed as expected.  Fortunately, I'm at Templecon right now so I will post up a quick summary on my phone as I hear the info!  Keep an eye on this page!</p>
<p>Nevermind. Live feed is working!</p>
whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-12806356778655045582013-01-15T13:53:00.001-05:002013-01-15T13:53:35.870-05:00Thinking Cap: Initial thoughts on the Woldwrath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zYTSUxHfUDBKpAwAfjWxqY8oPX0oJFsZ0g-IdWG6QouTj-c630mfAi6x25EKq-EgetkdRtAuO5iRWkaNVJt0vN6wt8LmHf4bYX1iE189YgtWdhdtzzN5p8GhTetb38_KaeMVz7_6cTk4/s1600/steampunk-thinking-helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zYTSUxHfUDBKpAwAfjWxqY8oPX0oJFsZ0g-IdWG6QouTj-c630mfAi6x25EKq-EgetkdRtAuO5iRWkaNVJt0vN6wt8LmHf4bYX1iE189YgtWdhdtzzN5p8GhTetb38_KaeMVz7_6cTk4/s320/steampunk-thinking-helmet.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I think I inadvertently creating a shooting list with eBaldur. I got to play with the Woldwrath for the first time a couple of weeks ago against a Cryx player at the Battle Standard. He usually doesn't play in tournaments much but it was my first time with the Woldwrath anyway so I have no allusions that it's OMG BROKEN or anything but I do want to share my brief insights on the model. I wanted to try out a 50 point game because Templecon is coming up soon and I need some practice. I crafted a 50 point list for eBaldur a while ago but I finally got to try it out and so I need to share my findings.<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/01/thinking-cap-initial-thoughts-on.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-76999544787264439712013-01-08T11:08:00.001-05:002013-01-08T11:08:35.674-05:00Miss Warmachine/Hordes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1ii5mOBw5QeQpMW7mlsk2wUuWI3kMfFy_0X3pAJ4TPrFJTOziy8XJOuS2iYx309J1HiNPYsTIdsiofp5JS2wBtww7cRt4A0MM0_pphdq1ebDPKSAMO_XpMGlDxK4nIXINeCKOyB4kcq_/s1600/applause.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1ii5mOBw5QeQpMW7mlsk2wUuWI3kMfFy_0X3pAJ4TPrFJTOziy8XJOuS2iYx309J1HiNPYsTIdsiofp5JS2wBtww7cRt4A0MM0_pphdq1ebDPKSAMO_XpMGlDxK4nIXINeCKOyB4kcq_/s320/applause.gif" width="320"></a></div>
It's 2013 everyone and it's time to crown your choice for who you believe to be Miss Warmachine/Hordes herself! You cast your votes for the sexiest female warcasters... you cast your votes for the sexiest female warlocks... and then you had to cast your votes for who you thought deserved the title of Miss Warmachine/Hordes. Sexiness isn't everything, of course, and your votes considered who deserved the title for her popularity, iconic stature, and her performance on the tabletop. I do love myself a strong female character and your votes certainly chose a strong one.<div>
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Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present your choice of Miss Warmachine/Hordes:</div>
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</div><a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2013/01/miss-warmachinehordes.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-63170300492070955332012-12-18T11:54:00.000-05:002012-12-18T14:08:15.462-05:00Winter 2012 Holiday Bundles: Hordes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCONQlTqFFN3X0hD944GWNlZGFRZd5-7K8PRr31M08BLhYJc7EcycmkH9UAcLqD8vytz5MifNMdVfe3RSIYzAoMizNeYiJbjq-kX5Ur3ZwITEzdB7QewHLSUgZ7E6mHnfNzpy1c8rzj9HC/s1600/st.+nick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCONQlTqFFN3X0hD944GWNlZGFRZd5-7K8PRr31M08BLhYJc7EcycmkH9UAcLqD8vytz5MifNMdVfe3RSIYzAoMizNeYiJbjq-kX5Ur3ZwITEzdB7QewHLSUgZ7E6mHnfNzpy1c8rzj9HC/s320/st.+nick.jpg" width="251"></a></div>
Much like the Warmachine Bundles offered by Privateer Press for the holidays, today I will look at the Hordes holiday bundles and rank them on the same criteria (Power Level and Longevity). It's taken me a while to fully evaluate these lists and there are some very interesting differences between the Hordes bundles from the Warmachine ones. Notably, the Warmachine bundles included the plastic battlegroup box (and so you would normally get a second warcaster to play). These bundles do not include the plastic battlegroup box (except for Skorne, for some reason) and, in the case of these bundles, that is actually more of an advantage since the rest of the bundle isn't limited by warbeast choices. Also, the Hordes bundles include a <i>full-sized</i> rulebook instead of the pocket sized one - probably since there's no battlegroup warcaster and they wanted to offer a fair deal. What's also different with these bundles is that there isn't even a Trollbloods holiday bundle, which is very curious. Instead, there are <i>two</i> Minion bundles - a great boon for anyone interested in starting the Thornfall Alliance or Blackwater Congregation. It's great the Privateer Press created separate bundles for what is, essentially, two separate factions. Well, let's jump into it!<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/12/winter-2012-holiday-bundles-hordes.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-77146980383477805882012-12-08T09:28:00.000-05:002012-12-08T09:51:03.753-05:00Winter 2012 Holiday Bundles: Warmachine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCONQlTqFFN3X0hD944GWNlZGFRZd5-7K8PRr31M08BLhYJc7EcycmkH9UAcLqD8vytz5MifNMdVfe3RSIYzAoMizNeYiJbjq-kX5Ur3ZwITEzdB7QewHLSUgZ7E6mHnfNzpy1c8rzj9HC/s1600/st.+nick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCONQlTqFFN3X0hD944GWNlZGFRZd5-7K8PRr31M08BLhYJc7EcycmkH9UAcLqD8vytz5MifNMdVfe3RSIYzAoMizNeYiJbjq-kX5Ur3ZwITEzdB7QewHLSUgZ7E6mHnfNzpy1c8rzj9HC/s320/st.+nick.jpg" width="251"></a></div>
As you may already know, Privateer Press has put out some <a href="http://store.privateerpress.com/holidaybundles2012.aspx">25-point holiday bundles</a> for purchase on their online store. They've been doing this with increased frequency the past couple of years and this time it's good to see that these bundles include warcasters outside of the normal battlegroup boxes (kinda).<br>
It's cute that they're including<b> metal ornaments</b> with the bundles, but I'm sure most people will be glad to have a good starting point for adding another faction. Also, each bundle includes a <b>mini-copy of the rulebook</b> (40k fans have been calling for this for their game for literally a decade) and the tokens for the faction. On top of the discount for the models themselves, this is a pretty nice chunk of stuff to receive for free, so keep that in mind with my value rankings. I will include the tokens in the discount calculation, but there's currently no $-value attached to the mini-rulebook so keep that in mind. Also, it's worth considering that with the exception of the Retribution and Mercenary sets, each of the deals includes the battlegroup box for the faction, meaning that you do get 2 warcasters out of the deal so you have some options.<br>
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Like I've done in the past, I will be reviewing these boxes for their <b>monetary value</b>, <b>power level</b> on the table, and <b>longevity</b> (how good it is for building a force in the future) and instead of giving an objective score, I will instead give them rankings relative to each other. <br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/12/winter-2012-holiday-bundles-warmachine.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-13524533265005082552012-12-05T11:12:00.002-05:002012-12-05T11:12:28.740-05:00Editorial: the Karma Deck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbJL81xbIZo83fWOi-fxWX8bTqWST2kneq8o8jfJHhSztuUQIvQG_HfHhDqqmWmdSS-ljHUie_83gvX975Y2W0iJ4NLRkSGOUkFBN3YetexCT-OIKYHB9SWlwqvB7PaeJrRK6VDRn0vPt/s1600/tyr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbJL81xbIZo83fWOi-fxWX8bTqWST2kneq8o8jfJHhSztuUQIvQG_HfHhDqqmWmdSS-ljHUie_83gvX975Y2W0iJ4NLRkSGOUkFBN3YetexCT-OIKYHB9SWlwqvB7PaeJrRK6VDRn0vPt/s320/tyr.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
A couple of weeks back I was having a conversation with a long-time friend about 40k. We often will discuss Warhammer 40k and, despite me rarely playing the game anymore, he appreciates my insight on various topics. For now, I still keep up-to-date on the goings-on of 40k. I think of 40k like an ex-girlfriend: we broke up a while ago and while I will never return to her, I do admit that I like to know what she's doing and how her life has changed.<br>
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During the course of my discussion with my friend about 40k, I had an idea come upon me. We were discussing how dice can throw everything and it can be really frustrating when the dice are <i>supposed</i> to come back to help you, but sometimes never do. It's a poor consolation that the dice <i>should have </i>rolled average over the course of a game but don't. I came up with an idea that might maintain a level of <i>randomness</i> that is necessary for a game but with a greater degree of predictability and with proper probabilities that dice don't really offer. <br>
<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/12/editorial-karma-deck.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-38635387154737721812012-12-04T12:00:00.000-05:002012-12-04T12:00:09.492-05:00Miss Warmachine/Hordes Pageant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwz9I26P1SQ4VJ0H-EPiWMVgchg4bxDvQm8gZhogM_ThEEZc3hYC-9OHqpt8_Jhe3_uhw3h9vxY3rIeG80xQVe3ST31sTql48VBURYvn5tGjc7Snihjj-YP9ey4bmtFQT-SAHxHYe7VdNQ/s1600/poll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwz9I26P1SQ4VJ0H-EPiWMVgchg4bxDvQm8gZhogM_ThEEZc3hYC-9OHqpt8_Jhe3_uhw3h9vxY3rIeG80xQVe3ST31sTql48VBURYvn5tGjc7Snihjj-YP9ey4bmtFQT-SAHxHYe7VdNQ/s320/poll.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Okay, so my last poll ended a billion years ago and I've been far busier this year with helping the fiancee plan the wedding (although she's definitely doing most of the work). As a little aside, feel free to check out her wedding blog over there on the top right of the page! We're doing a Steampunk wedding and while it's going to be awesome, there's been a <i>lot</i> of work crafting the stuff we need - as if weddings aren't crazy enough to plan as it is. I digress.<br>
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After the results of the last poll (see below) we now have your votes for the sexiest female warlocks and it's time for the ultimate showdown: <b>The Miss Warmachine/Hordes Pageant!</b> Indeed, make sure to cast your vote for who you believe should win the title of <b>Miss Warmachine/Hordes</b>! These finalists have been taken from our previous polls but this time you should also weigh their accomplishments, background, and tabletop performance <i>in addition </i>to their sexiness. By the end of the year we will have our <b>Miss Warmachine/Hordes</b> herself!<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/12/miss-warmachinehordes-pageant.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-23492172352183135392012-12-01T08:37:00.000-05:002012-12-01T08:37:10.699-05:00Mercenaries? In a Tournament? With Character Restriction!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4F-rQSdqE4S1gzeiZazfhw5Gds8NEiRl6l59K6hc7hDwEI3T5NmHDWUGgo4txA4jXnN9qakqW3jGLRhH8mnrgjKiLDC8_hFzywoLnDgBuhB3khc-CNB9nQ4tpT7RjnwKvcMDw_-N1vhhM/s1600/steamroller+tagme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4F-rQSdqE4S1gzeiZazfhw5Gds8NEiRl6l59K6hc7hDwEI3T5NmHDWUGgo4txA4jXnN9qakqW3jGLRhH8mnrgjKiLDC8_hFzywoLnDgBuhB3khc-CNB9nQ4tpT7RjnwKvcMDw_-N1vhhM/s320/steamroller+tagme.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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My post earlier this week on Gorten got me to realize that I've always wondered how my Fiona list would do in a tournament setting. She's a fun warcaster and she brings some interesting tricks to the table that most people wouldn't be used to seeing all in one package. I like the list I have for her but there are a lot of specific synergies and I worry that any other 'competitive' Mercenary build would miss out on some of the elements I include in her list - most notably characters that I'd like to take with Broadsides Bart. Bart was never really a strong list for me anyway, and seeing as they're really the only two mercenary warcasters I owned, I didn't give tournament dreams much of a thought (Fiona is too time-consuming for Hardcore). Now, with Gorten, I can build two lists that I like but without the usual concerns about <i>character restriction</i> which will undoubtedly be in SR2013. So let's say I'm going to attend a SR2013 tournament, at 35 points. What lists would I actually bring?<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/12/mercenaries-in-tournament-with.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-54986840216183602402012-11-27T13:34:00.000-05:002012-11-27T13:34:11.100-05:00New Project: Gorten Grundback<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34yhPvRMEyur_vflVgDID2AcGQyPwpG9aml4xKxjt4PLeb5Mjqxu15WpJ_x3TBoHmfD-fmQL1dG8ST5RNBF8wFq1fFsx8zOe2EkA8wv5R4ubbz-nJBZUqDrOiKId8d69NwiKOo7OVdaTK/s1600/wertergdfgd3432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34yhPvRMEyur_vflVgDID2AcGQyPwpG9aml4xKxjt4PLeb5Mjqxu15WpJ_x3TBoHmfD-fmQL1dG8ST5RNBF8wFq1fFsx8zOe2EkA8wv5R4ubbz-nJBZUqDrOiKId8d69NwiKOo7OVdaTK/s320/wertergdfgd3432.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have a problem. Whenever I start a new faction I tell myself that I'll "only" play a particular warcaster/warlock... then maybe just a couple... then I end up owning most of the faction. This happened with Cygnar, this happened with Circle, and now it's happening with Mercenaries. Please, can someone take my Legion off of my hands so I don't get tempted to do it again? I originally just got my Mercenaries to play with the pirates, in particular: Broadsides Bart. It's a fun list but I just never really got it to a point where I was really happy with it, you know? Then I expanded a bit and decided to try Fiona the Black. She's an underdog and faces a lot of criticism, so I decided to try her out to prove people wrong. After a lot of tweaking and playtesting, I've found a good list for her that I like. Now, after some list building with a fan of the blog, I broke down and decided to try out Gorten Grundback. Before you get all excited about Rhulic dwarves, I'm sadly not going to be playing with the Searforge Commission (yet), but rather sticking with the Highborn Covenant. It makes sense, after all, since I play Fiona with the same contract and I already own lots of Cygnar models, so I might as well, right? Well here's the list that I've put together:<br />
<a href="http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/gorten-grundback.png/136755231/311x283/gorten-grundback.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/gorten-grundback.png/136755231/311x283/gorten-grundback.png" /></a><b><br /></b>
<b>Highborn Covenant 35 points</b><br />
Gorten Grundback (+7)<br />
- Basher (7)<br />
Alexia and Risen (5)<br />
Forge Guard (full, 8)<br />
Gun Mages (6)<br />
- Officer (2)<br />
- Mule (8)<br />
Rhupert (2)<br />
Ragman (2)<br />
Gorman (2)<br />
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Not a lot of moving parts in this list but I like it. I'll need to play around with it to decide what I want to tweak, but so far I really like it. This list brings a bunch of bodies onto the field and some cleverly disguised hard-hitting. My favorite part, though, is the shooting potential of the list. While the meta is changing, shooting is still very effective if you have the right tools. While Gorten doesn't inherently offer much synergy to shooting armies, I think this list will take advantage of what Gorten <i>does</i> have to offer rather well.<br />
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The first thing to note is the number of bodies hitting the field. Forge Guard are some great high-ARM troops which pack a serious punch but can die easily to <i>weapon masters</i> or charging infantry. Having a nice and squishy screen of risen in front of them, however, will mean that my opponent will have a hard time getting to the forge guard, allowing me to deliver their counter-punch most effectively. Even if my opponent <i>does</i> kill some forge guard, they'll just add to Alexia's number of risen, so it's a great cycle of annoyance. Rhupert, of course, is there to give out <i>Pathfinder</i> as needed, but also to make the risen <i>Tough</i>, which can take a normally annoying unit to hilarious levels of being annoying. Even if my opponent wants to remove Alexia directly, the <i>Tough</i> rolls on the risen can be used on her "transfers" so she'll be even more difficult to remove.<br />
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Behind the forge guard and taking advantage of their <i>Ranked Attacks</i>, the Gun Mages and their Mule will be about to reach out and shoot the crap out of enemy models as they get close. Sure, the risen can still get in the way, but if I'm really worried about it, I'll gladly trade a risen to a free strike if it means killing enemy infantry. The Mule will be able to do some serious damage while he's marshalled by the Gun Mages and it helps take the focus load off of Gorten who has only 5 at the best of times to use. The Mule can do all kinds of fun shenanigans and, again, I'm not afraid to shoot my own risen in the back (they'll be DEF 12 even if engaged! hahaha!) if it means clearing out a charge lane.<br />
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Toss in Ragman and Gorman for some improved damage, and we have ourselves a party! Gorman will be sitting fairly safe behind all of the risen and can naturally <i>Black Oil </i>those pesky Colossals/Gargantuans or <i>Rust Bomb</i> a warjack if I'm worried about it. Ragman, of course, will turn those risen into a slightly greater threat (especially if I'm shooting them while they're engaged) and he turns the forge guard into serious damage potential. If I can tag a warjack with a <i>Rust Bomb</i> and get Ragman in range with his <i>Death Field</i>, even a Khador heavy at ARM 20 will crumble to merely 4 charging forge guard! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KAPOW!</td></tr>
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So what does Gorten bring to this party, anyway? I think I can sum it up with two things: his <i>feat</i> and <b>Solid Ground</b>. Gorten has an amazing feat that is well known for it's tournament winning potential. While he has a small control area, the rest of this list and his naturally high armor mean that he'll be quite comfortable sitting pretty close to the front lines anyway. His feat not only pushes models back up to 8", but it also offers a <i>very</i> useful SPD, DEF, and RAT debuff (although the RAT debuff is rarely important). This means that even <i>if</i> my opponent decides to just run in and engage my models, I can simply pop feat and push them all back while my ranged attacks shoot them down. The DEF debuff means they'll be much easier to hit and even if they try to come at me again, the SPD debuff will make it difficult for them to even run to get close again. In essence, Gorten <i>does</i> support a ranged force by allowing them the opportunity to get basically 2 extra shooting 'phases'.<br />
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The second (arguably most important) piece of support Gorten offers is his spell <b>Solid Ground</b>. Don't get me wrong, <b>Rock Wall </b>is pretty awesome too, but for such a low-FOC 'caster, <b>Solid Ground</b> will provide more benefits for upkeeping it (I'd even be willing to pay the double focus to upkeep it if someone makes me do that). The spell offers two important benefits for this list: <i>no blast damage</i> and friendly models <i>can't be knocked down</i>. Those are huge benefits! Sure, small control area again, but keeping everyone standing is great for <i>Tough</i>, thanks to Rhupert as well as keeping Gorten alive longer since DEF 13 is hardly unimpressive as it is. I think the immunity to <i>blast damage</i> is probably the most important, however. With the exception of the forge guard, the rest of the warrior models in this list are fairly low in ARM values and are <i>very</i> susceptible to blast damage. Gun Mages are only ARM 11 so even some of the weakest blast weapons are able to clear them out with ease. Suddenly with <b>Solid Ground</b>, not only does the opponent have to get through a wall of forge guard, but they can't even hope that blast damage will remove some of those gun mages.<br />
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Just thinking about all of this makes me giddy and eager to try this list out! I've also noted that there are no FA:C models in this list that I'd want to use with my Fiona list. Could this mean that I have some tournament potential here??? We shall see!whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-64571502515676923262012-11-19T15:40:00.002-05:002012-11-19T15:40:44.620-05:00Steamroller Prep: Escalation Tournament<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwhuYovNJE63g4K5AtCt5tKm-zltVHlTl6LkpKJ7bE1_p245zhajUKE_eeszELLeap4ZeYk1YrXVLQXIwTQps3gc1PG6YS8PW21z74Wihbs1jFH3kRJc-X8hsrMfGMDe_t8T1fuiOlSbH/s1600/steam+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwhuYovNJE63g4K5AtCt5tKm-zltVHlTl6LkpKJ7bE1_p245zhajUKE_eeszELLeap4ZeYk1YrXVLQXIwTQps3gc1PG6YS8PW21z74Wihbs1jFH3kRJc-X8hsrMfGMDe_t8T1fuiOlSbH/s320/steam+man.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
So there's an Escalation Tournament on December 9th at The Battle Standard in Manchester, CT that sounds really interesting. Unfortunately, I'm on duty that weekend so I will be unable to attend *shakes fist* but in case I can get someone to switch duty weekends with me, I still would like to prepare for it. What will be interesting about the tournament is that there will be 4 rounds and the points values for each round increase, so you'll play at 15 points the first round, then 25, then 35, and lastly you'll play at 50 points. Where it gets most challenging, however, is that you must <i>keep building on your previous list</i>. In other words, the models in the 15 point list must be present in your 25 point list and so on. The other major challenge is that your 15 point list is <i>warjack/warbeast only </i>(although you can be 3 points down).<i></i> That's where things get tricky because it means infantry warcasters will have a tougher time first round, and so the event as a whole will likely favor warjack/warbeast-heavy lists. So what would I be bringing? Well I first had to start with looking at viable 15 point lists, since those elements will carry forth into the later rounds. Here's what I considered:<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/11/steamroller-prep-escalation-tournament.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-77327158268635197622012-11-16T13:00:00.000-05:002012-11-16T13:00:01.705-05:00List Building Advice: Fiona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34yhPvRMEyur_vflVgDID2AcGQyPwpG9aml4xKxjt4PLeb5Mjqxu15WpJ_x3TBoHmfD-fmQL1dG8ST5RNBF8wFq1fFsx8zOe2EkA8wv5R4ubbz-nJBZUqDrOiKId8d69NwiKOo7OVdaTK/s1600/wertergdfgd3432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34yhPvRMEyur_vflVgDID2AcGQyPwpG9aml4xKxjt4PLeb5Mjqxu15WpJ_x3TBoHmfD-fmQL1dG8ST5RNBF8wFq1fFsx8zOe2EkA8wv5R4ubbz-nJBZUqDrOiKId8d69NwiKOo7OVdaTK/s320/wertergdfgd3432.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I recently received another request for some list building advice on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SteamPoweredGamer">facebook page</a>, this time regarding Fiona the Black. I <i>love</i> Fiona and if she didn't require such specific synergies and characters, I would bring her to more tournaments. I always have fun with her when I play her but she's missing <i>something</i> to make her more of a tournament-viable warcaster. That said, I was eager to provide some advice on building a list with her since I've spent many hours playing her and building lists for her. While I'm satisfied with the list that I play with her, it's nice to design a list for someone else. In addition, this particular person wanted me to work within the models in their collection, which I'm always happy to do. Here was the message:<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/11/list-building-advice-fiona.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-23802124197180092472012-11-13T13:00:00.000-05:002012-11-13T13:00:02.729-05:0035 point Fall Steamroller Results<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4F-rQSdqE4S1gzeiZazfhw5Gds8NEiRl6l59K6hc7hDwEI3T5NmHDWUGgo4txA4jXnN9qakqW3jGLRhH8mnrgjKiLDC8_hFzywoLnDgBuhB3khc-CNB9nQ4tpT7RjnwKvcMDw_-N1vhhM/s1600/steamroller+tagme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4F-rQSdqE4S1gzeiZazfhw5Gds8NEiRl6l59K6hc7hDwEI3T5NmHDWUGgo4txA4jXnN9qakqW3jGLRhH8mnrgjKiLDC8_hFzywoLnDgBuhB3khc-CNB9nQ4tpT7RjnwKvcMDw_-N1vhhM/s320/steamroller+tagme.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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Sunday I played my first tournament in well over 2 months and <i>it felt great</i>! While I was definitely pretty rusty, I found myself in my element and on my game, for the most part. There was a little issue in the last game because me and my opponent were pretty tired and forgot that scoring for Incursion meant scoring each <i>turn</i> instead of <i>round</i>, but we were able to retroactively determine that I did, in fact, win the scenario. He was a great sport and we had some good laughs afterwards about how tired we were. So let me share the lists that I finally decided upon and then I'll briefly break down my games.<br>
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<a href="http://steam-poweredgamer.blogspot.com/2012/11/35-point-fall-steamroller-results.html#more">Read more »</a>whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625264575875458506.post-14870055963307431152012-11-05T13:00:00.000-05:002012-11-05T13:00:00.084-05:00List Building Advice: Gorten 50 points<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34yhPvRMEyur_vflVgDID2AcGQyPwpG9aml4xKxjt4PLeb5Mjqxu15WpJ_x3TBoHmfD-fmQL1dG8ST5RNBF8wFq1fFsx8zOe2EkA8wv5R4ubbz-nJBZUqDrOiKId8d69NwiKOo7OVdaTK/s1600/wertergdfgd3432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34yhPvRMEyur_vflVgDID2AcGQyPwpG9aml4xKxjt4PLeb5Mjqxu15WpJ_x3TBoHmfD-fmQL1dG8ST5RNBF8wFq1fFsx8zOe2EkA8wv5R4ubbz-nJBZUqDrOiKId8d69NwiKOo7OVdaTK/s320/wertergdfgd3432.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Continuing from Friday's post, a fan had messaged me through the Steam-Powered Gamer <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SteamPoweredGamer">facebook page</a> asking for some advice with building lists in preparation for Templecon. My disclaimer is that I admit I'm not some mastermind player but I do enjoy the theory and building lists with particular goals and restrictions in mind. If anyone wishes for advice on building a list, I'm glad to offer some feedback and I will rarely suggest an alternative warcaster (unless that's a flexible criteria). I understand that not everyone has lots of money to drop on a brand new list (I'm no exception) and so we enjoy working with the collections we already have. Fortunately, this particular individual has been investigating lists via Vassal and hasn't purchased anything yet, so there's a lot of flexibility in the list design. I have to admit, I'm probably the most proud of this particular list, even if he ultimately decided to go the full Khador route (although not with the Harkevich list presented on Friday).<br />
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Here's the list that he was looking at for Gorten Grundback:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><u>Searforge Commission, 50 points </u></b><br />
Gorten: +7 <br />
<div class="de1">
- Driller: 6</div>
<div class="de2">
- Rockram: 8</div>
<div class="de1">
- Rockram: 8</div>
<div class="de2">
- Avalancher: 9</div>
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10 forgeguard: 8</div>
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6 forgeguard: 5</div>
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10 high shields + UA: 11</div>
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Thor: 2</div>
</blockquote>
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<u>My feedback:</u> </div>
<div class="de2">
As far as the Gorten list goes, I do have to ask if it has to be
Searforge? Unfortunately, Searforge is a very limiting contract and I
think I could come up with an interesting list if you took a Highborn
Covenant list instead. Mercenaries can have VERY different looking
lists and the Rhulic 'casters are no exception. Here's the list I've come up with using the Highborn Covenant:</div>
<div class="de2">
<a href="http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/gorten-grundback.png/136755231/311x283/gorten-grundback.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/gorten-grundback.png/136755231/311x283/gorten-grundback.png" /></a> </div>
<div class="de2">
Gorten (+7)<br />
- Basher (7)<br />
Gun Mages (6)<br />
- Officer (2)<br />
- Mule (8)<br />
Hammerfall High Shields (full, <img alt="8)" class="emote_img" src="https://s-static.ak.facebook.com/images/blank.gif" style="background-position: -96px 0px;" title="8)" /><br />
- Officer and Standard (3)<br />
Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile (2)<br />
Thor (2) </div>
<div class="de2">
- Rockram (8) </div>
<div class="de2">
Rhupert (2)<br />
Rorsh and Brine (9)<br />
</div>
<div class="de2">
The problem with Gorten is that he has so little focus so you basically
just have to rely on getting him far upfield to make the most of his
feat - and that means making sure he camps as much focus as possible so you can keep him alive.
<b>Rock Wall</b> and <b>Solid Ground</b> help keep him alive and are really fantastic
for units like Gun Mages since they're so vulnerable to blast
damage. I like the Highborn list the best because it's such an awesome
shooting list (I'm biased about shooting, despite what the meta says). The High Shields can trod upfield while in shield wall
shooting stuff while the gun mages sit behind them taking advantage of
<i>Ranked Attacks</i>, safe from<i> </i>reprisal! The Gun Mages will have a marshalled Mule to stick with the ranged theme without putting more of a focus drain on Gorten. Even
if your opponent gets close enough to disrupt your shooting abilities, you pop feat, push everything back and slap
them with a DEF penalty so you can shoot them even more reliably and the SPD penalty will prevent them from simply charging at you next turn. You effectively can have multiple rounds of shooting and mitigate one of the biggest weaknesses to shooting in Warmachine/Hordes. </div>
<div class="de2">
</div>
<div class="de2">
<a href="http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/mule.jpg/32363087/300x315/mule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/file/view/mule.jpg/32363087/300x315/mule.jpg" width="304" /></a>The Mule can also push stuff around if it scores a Crit but also sports a wonderful POW 15 and an AOE 4 and
the Basher will have fun slamming things around and exploding all over
their face while the rest of your troops laugh at blast damage (thanks to <b>Solid Ground</b>). Brine
is also around for some heavy hitting without an increased focus load on
Gorten and he's a slamming machine. Him and Rorsh offer great support on a
flank since they're so fast and Rorsch can feel comfortable chucking
dynamite or using diversionary tactics near the rest of your troops since, again, <b>Solid Ground</b> will protect them from blast damage. In essence, you can take full advantage of fantastic blast weaponry to deal with targets both near and far without fear - and that's huge for a shooting list.<br />
<br />
Rhupert is around for giving <i>Tough</i> to the high
shields - making them even more annoying to deal with (especially with
<b>Solid Ground</b> keeping them standing) and as if you need more shooting
support, Dougal can pop his mini feat early to give +2 RNG to all
ranged attacks and he will consistently throw <i>Artillerist</i> on the Mule to make it
hit even more reliably (at least until he wants to shoot stuff with his quad iron or chuck some grenades). Lastly, we have to include Thor because he's an awesome 'jack marshall and since he can marshall Rhulic 'jacks, we should give him the Rockram to take the most advantage of his and its capabilities. The Rockram is solid and will be capable of providing solid shooting support with the rest of the army, but can also hit hard in melee if it needs to - again, without requiring any focus from Gorten. And even if you're worried about a 'jack marshall dying, the High Shields officer is around to pick up the slack if needed.</div>
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<div class="de2">
What you get is a list that literally pushes around
your opponent all across the board and is incredibly resilient. It's a
solid tournament list, in my opinion, but it would need some practice. Fortunately, however, there aren't a lot of complex synergies that require specific activation orders, so that should make using the list fairly straight forward to use. You just have to make sure to upkeep <b>Solid Ground</b> and maybe throw out <b>Rock Wall</b> where/when you need it, but otherwise you should have a fairly easy time using the list. Rorsh and Brine take some getting used to, but they provide a fast moving element to the list that can protect a flank from getting overrun and keeping your backfield safe.</div>
<div class="de2">
<br /></div>
<div class="de2">
In fact, if I didn't have to spend so much money buying so much of the list, I'd probably try playing it myself! Maybe if they release a plastic Rhulic 'jack kit...</div>
whitestar333http://www.blogger.com/profile/03994111356537046417noreply@blogger.com