Progress Report - 8/27/10 (now with crappy lightbox)

Look! It is a model with some paint on it! I found a little bit of time to work on my test Ogre for the Bultimore Bullies and that is the result. Still needs some highlights and details, and I am probably going to add some blood and gore to the Ironfist and maybe around the mouth as well (this player is named Ardgut Bloodgulper). I took this picture in my crappy cardboard and foil "light box" and I have to say the results aren't too shabby. Almost makes me look like a competent painter!

Played my first game of the KUBBL II season this week and lost to a High Elf team. I just couldn't keep them from dodging around me. Even with half their team being knocked out they still managed to score on me. In the end it was only a 0-2 loss so I suppose it could have been worse. I scored 4 casualties in the game, one of which came from a Snotling. I need to get an Ogre or two with Tackle to help deal with all the high Agility and Dodge teams in my division. Next week is a good ole fashioned bash-up with an Undead team.

I've also been toying with starting an Amazon team in our KUBBL Open League (kind of like a semi-pro league). I plan on ordering the Nun team from Shadowforge which can be used for Amazons or Humans or ... ??? I really like the models, and playing something different from Ogres should be fun. 

On the WHFB side of things I am getting ready for a short campaign that is going to kick off at my game store - trying to decide between running Ogres, Vampire Counts, or assembling enough WoC for the 1,500pt requirement. I expect to see a lot of High Elves and Skaven as the campaign is to support the new players coming into the scene thanks to the Island of Blood so perhaps Ogres wouldn't be the best choice. 

Speaking of Ogres, I am frantically trying to finish up the third issue of the Bellower to get it out this month (probably right down to the wire - sometime early next week). Even with a major drop in contributions I think the issue will still have something for everyone. Not what I had hoped for but overall I think it will do. In fact... I need to start the final layouts right now!

Ogre Kingdoms in 8th edition - Podhammer and me.

I've been meaning to get to a post about Ogres in the latest edition of Warhammer, but Trent “Hammer” Denison has beat me to it with a post of his own on his blog Stop, Hammer Time. Read his thoughts, come back, and I will lead you through my own thoughts on my favorite fatties (with a bit of commentary on Trent's commentary). 

All set? Okay, here we go... to put it simply Ogre Kingdoms in 8th edition WHFB are better all around. Don't believe me? Well let's go over some of their major weaknesses in 7th and see how they stack up this time around:

• Small army size: Yes your armies of Ogres will likely still have less units in 8th but the overall effectiveness of each unit has increased with abilities such as Steadfast and Stomp attacks, not to mention easier access to ranks for you Ogre units. You'll probably still be outnumbered but without the Outnumber rule to doom you to static CR death you have a better chance to winning each fight you encounter.
   
• Magic and shooting attacks: In some ways the bullseye on your Ogre heads has gotten even larger when it comes to these attacks but we have new ways of dealing with them - mainly Gut Magic! Access to a Slaughtermaster greatly increases the effectiveness of your Gut Magic while also increasing your magic defense by virtue of his +4 to dispel attempts. Throw in buffs that stack and you have a chance at building some really nasty Ogre units. Also, in most cases you will be able to get into close combat on Turn 2 which is where Ogres are safest from these types of attacks.
   
• Out and out speed: Remember the funny little game of chicken you always had to play with your Ogre units when facing down a line of cavalry? Well not anymore! Now that both units move 2d6" you stand a much better chance of slamming into that unit of knights before they ram headlong into you. Better yet, with a longer charge range possible for your enemies you are more likely to get off a devastating Bull Charge as well (since they won't always have to be as close to get their infantry charge off).
   
• Maneuverability: Another huge deficit for Ogres in 7th edition, the addition of the Swift Reform rule has made Ogres much more maneuverable overall in 8th edition (also making bellowers even more mandatory for each unit). Being able to quickly reform and then move is a massive boost to the wide frontage most Ogre units bring to the table. Learn to love it, and use it as often as needed!
   
• Lack of static CR: In 7th edition it was quite hard for Ogres to play the static combat resolution game. With the addition of smaller ranks in 8th it has gotten a little easier. Throw in the necessity of a BSB, and scenarios that reward units with standards, and suddenly your Ogres have a little bit of static CR of their own to throw around. It's not the greatest out there but it is certainly better.
   
• Average to low leadership: The changes to BSBs in 8th makes even the crappiest Gnoblar capable of so much more! With a Tyrant and BSB in your list (and likely a Toothcracker or two making their units Stubborn) you face a much lower chance of failing most any leadership test that comes your way. A great thing for an army who was previously so prone to panic checks ruining a close game.
   
• Low Weapon Skill: Not a lot can be done about each Ogre's crappy WS stat - the good news is the new stat to have is Ini and Ogres suck at that too! Instead of complaining about not being able to hit anything you can complain about not having a chance to hit anything even after you charge in! But seriously, the addition of support attacks from back ranks of Ogres, and the Stomp Attack for all Ogres, has greatly increased the effectiveness of all Ogres. Still not the best, but absolutely better.

So there you have it, a few of the biggest weaknesses the Ogre Kingdoms had in 7th edition and how things are looking up after the release of 8th. I mentioned at the start of this post that I would leave a bit of commentary on Trent's thought regarding Ogres, but let me get one thing out of the way before I start. 

I think Trent is often the best part of Podhammer, especially when it comes to list building and creating interesting synergies. For example - I blatantly ripped off his Warriors of Chaos Exalted Hero on a disc and changed it a bit into my own beloved build (see my Malal army for more details). While I respect his opinion on matters related to this game my thoughts on the state of the Ogre Kingdoms are just a bit different. I'm not going to repost everything on Trent's blog so if you are wondering what the hell I am talking about you should go read his post first.

On Tyrants - flying 4+ ward save builds are fun and all but as the heart of every Ogre army I find he is much more valuable near the center of the force. His leadership is needed to make the BSB really shine, and his ability to crush most RnF troops is an added bonus when dealing with more attacks coming in from basic infantry. I also think that in general the GW is a waste of time. I much prefer the CLS for it's boost to WS and Ini. Combine that with a potion or a Bullgorger (or two) or even the Giantbreaker big name and you have one mean fat summabutch.

On Slaughtermasters - Grut's Sickle? No. Just no. With a 4+ to cast and a basic casting cost of 3+ what the hell could you possibly need that +1 to a spell for? Not to mention the cost of a Bull putting each use at a meaty 11 to 12 points. If you want a crappy +1 to a spell just take the equally worthless (but cheaper) option of Tooth Gnoblars.

On Hunters - yes they are still not as good as they should be. I would consider taking one if he could be the BSB, but the changes to the battle standard bearer have made it almost mandatory for all lists to include which means less points available for the poor Hunter. I think he may still have a place in some lists but I haven't found one for him in mine (yet).

On Gnoblars - 40 Gnoblars is still just that; 40 Gnoblars. The changes to thrown weapons have greatly decreased their effectiveness, and while Steadfast is cute it won't matter much when your opponent is killing 20+ a turn with their own attacks. Not to be overlooked, but I certainly won't be putting 3 units of 40 in my lists. Kudos for mentioning the awesomeness of Trappers!

On Bulls - for slightly less points you get what is basically the same as a unit of Ironguts. Add in light armor and ironfist and you have a much more resilient Ogre that is still cheaper. If you want the high strength attacks there is always Bullgorger. Don't overlook the original in favor of their flashy brothers in blub.

On Ironguts - attacks coming at Ogres tend to be high strength which usually negates one of the big advantages these guys have in heavy armor. Striking last isn't that big of a deal (since they are base Ini 2 anyway) but their crappy WS still makes it hard to hit elite infantry. Good shock troops but I don't see much advantage to ranking these guys up (with the exception of their higher Ld and ability to carry a magic banner). Without characters backing them up the Ironguts are just a bunch of Ironwimps.

On Yhetees - they are still crap. You are absolutely right. 

On Leadbelchers - overall I would say there is even less reason to take these guys in 8th. With the changes to reforming units it makes it much harder to keep these guys in a position of power. Their role in 7th was to support with flank charges and deal with incoming flank threats. Swift reforms make this much easier for Ogres without spending the massive point cost for a Bull with a crappy cannon. I don't see them living in my lists very often.

On Scraplaunchers - you say it is too many points for a chariot, and too many points for a stone thrower, but what about a unit that is both!? Not to mention the large blast template with S3 and KB!? I am pretty sure most armies would kill for something like that. Imagine the Empire with a weapon that was S3 and KB. Sure it can be unpredictable but if you are already planning on taking 3 units of 40 Gnoblars I think you know how valuable something like the Scrappy can be. With horde units being more prevalent I say don't leave home without it!!

On Gorgers - they are bad and have only gotten worse in 8th edition. Most things will be able to quickly reform and blast them off the table before they ever get into combat. With more attacks coming in once it does make it T5 and 4 wounds will only last so long. Now if it had Thunderstomp...

On Maneaters - certainly not as strong a choice as they once were, I think there is still some value to be had here. Take a small unit, add a character or two in front of them, and BAM ... instant ItP, Stubborn, and awesome support attacks. If you are running a solo (non-flying) Tyrant try throwing one with a GW or CLS behind him for laughs. 

On Slavegiants - don't be so quick to overlook this choice. He still has the highest Ld in the OK army, and with the addition of Thunderstomp he can really wreck small units of infantry. Worst case you take one to give your main unit of Ogres a break from being shot to bits by artillery for a turn or two and benefit from the Giantbreaker big name.

Besides the things listed here I agree with the rest of Trent's overview, and I too would say the Ogre Kingdoms fall somewhere between a Tier 2 and Tier 3 army. Hopefully a new book this year will put them firmly in the top tiers eating the small fleshy ones!

The summer WHFB webzine roundup!

Hey! A post!?!

So as of late I have been really bad about posting when a new WHFB webzine has been released and what I think of it. I figured now would be a good time for a quick "roundup" post with a few details on what has come out recently! Here we go... (in no particular order)

The Doom Seeker #5

While this webzine originally started as a Slayer-centric publication it has morphed over time into something a bit more general that is mostly focused on the hobby aspects of Warhammer. The layout is looking much better with every issue (aside from a few personal pet peeves) and this issue starts out strong with an article/interview about Garagehammer - a WHFB podcast. You'll also find some info on the Araby fan-made army book, info on 8th edition, fiction, terrain creation, and more. 

Overall: Three out of five naked Slayer butts.

Skavenblight Gazette #9

Ahhh rat-things!! The mad rats over at Skavenblight Gazette have the best ad featured in the Bellower and they put out a pretty good webzine too. This latest issue isn't quite as lengthy (or flashy) as some of their past efforts but the overall layout and content is still top-notch. With articles on Fantasy Roleplay, painting tips, and Rat Ogres how can you go wrong! Check it out.

Overall: Four out of five screeching giant rats in your pants. 

The Word of Hashut #9

If I had to pick one WHFB webzine I most look up to when it comes to creating my own it would have to be the Word of Hashut. Really great layout and design and the content is usually very focused, interesting, and well put together. This issue is lacking in a few areas (as Willmark had some challenges in his life - best of luck buddy!) but for a second year anniversary issue you could do far worse. Features here include a brief time line of CDO, tons of great model pics, regular staples like excellent Shadow and Flame comic, new units, fiction, scenarios, blood bowl, battle reports... the list goes on and on. Even though the Bellower ad featured in the issue is an old one (I kid Willmark, I kid!) this zine is still worth your time and attention.

Overall: Four and a half stunty slaves out of five.

The Invocation #5

Last but not least we have a bit of undead goodness from the folks over at the Carpe Noctem forums. This fifth and latest issue is everything you may have come to expect of The Invocation starting with a quick overview of changes to the Vampire Counts army in 8th edition, how-to guides, background, a really long piece of fiction, tournament/battle report, and more. Kudos to the Disciple of Nagash for stepping up the overall visual quality and layouts of this webzine, it has really come a long way in the past few issues. Hop out of your graves and see for yourself!

Overall: Four out of five moldering zombie heads.

Well I think that about covers it for the "usual suspects". I'd love to hear what you think about any or all of these WHFB publications and YES the new issue of the Bellower should be out "soon". Getting things together for issue #3 has been quite a chore but we're getting a little closer each day. Honest!

Progress report - nothing doing 8/7/10.

Why hello there neglected blog and neglected blog readers!

Summer still has me stewing in a variety of work and personal activities, none of which relate directly to my tabletop hobbies. I do have a strong desire to paint and work on the construction of my WoC army, and I just added a sixth Ogre to my BB team, so there is a good possibility of more interesting updates to come soon.

In short here is a quick progress report for the past few weeks:

• Played several games of 8th edition with my Ogre Kingdoms and won every one of them. While my current playing field has limited variety (only Empire, Skaven, Warriors of Chaos, and Bretonnians at the moment) the lists are still pretty damn hard. Still working out what my "normal" 2,500 list would be but currently we play a lot of 1,000 and 2,000 point games so it hasn't been as important.

• Played a few games of 8th edition with my Vampire Counts and lost about half of them. I find it much harder to keep my general alive with the increased amount of attacks coming at him and/or the severe miscast penalties when rolling double 6's. Had a lot of fun but not as many wins as I have had with my Ogres. One thing I have learned is the Black Coach and Grave Guard are both much better in 8th edition.

• Lost my first game in the KUBBL I Squiqbowl with the Bultimore Bullies. Managed to get enough in my treasury to hire my sixth and final Ogre but the game was just yet another loss for my disheartening Ogre team. I find myself piling on the ball and knocking people down only to have it somehow squeeze past me to some random receiver near my end zone. This has happened in almost every match so I am not sure how to deal with it? Snotlings can't manage to keep anyone in place with their S1 and Titchyness. Leaving an Ogre in the backfield extremely hampers my offensive line and doesn't guarantee they will be where they are needed when they are needed (with their crappy agility and movement). Perhaps next season will be better?

That about covers my gaming and hobby time for the past few weeks. Additionally I have been fretting over the very empty Bellower layout for issue #3. I have a few things to slap together but I am very much on my own for content and help putting the finishing touches on the next issue. Our team really needs some new blood so if you have a creative hankering and love the Ogre Kingdoms please get in touch with me. There is plenty of stuff to write/illustrate/diagram/model/photograph so creative folks of all types are welcome!

Until next time ... have a beer review!

Stone Brewing Company - Stone Thirteenth Anniversary Ale

Beer Type: American Strong Ale

Appearance: 22 oz. brown bottle with a number 13 and a classic Stone devil inked on the glass. Poured a dark red/black/brown color with a thick off-white head with lots of lace.

Smell: Dark sweet breads, pine hops, and more sweet stuff. This smells damn fine.

First Drink: Huge rush of hops quickly followed up by the sweet "brown" flavors of roasted malt.

Mouthfeel: This is a beer with the capital "B". Thick bodied with just the right carbonation and a really nice smoothness after the first sip.

Last Drink: More citrus and banana flavors coming though now. I can taste the 9.5% ABV as well.

Drinkability: Really good but not a session brew - unlikely to happen anyway as this is a special edition beer and I have only seen the one bottle of it.

Notes: Man. This is a really good beer and its a far cry from the now typical style I have come to expect from Stone. If this is what I have to look forward to I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Verdict: 4.75 out of 5. Well crafted, full flavored, and it left a lasting impression. Here's to another 13 years of Stone brews!

Links: Beer Advocate and Stone Brewing Company.

Hot time in the city... summer Blood Bowl action.

I will spare you with the "blah blah blah I have been so busy" bit this time around. It is summer and that means getting outside and seeing people. It also means a new issue of the Bellower is (slowly) in the works. These things take time away from my modelin' hobby.

Lots of stuff has occurred in the world of WHFB 8th edition - new rules, new models, new FAQs, and so on. I'm not going to go back and cover these things retroactively but I have been keeping up with these new developments over the past few weeks. I did pick up a copy of the rule book and I have been going over it in preparation for some future Bellower articles. I am hoping to get in a game or two this weekend so perhaps there will be some WHFB related posts in the near future. In the meantime...

Finished up my first season of Blood Bowl this week with another loss. Final record for this season is  pretty crappy but here is a detailed look:

My biggest hurdle overall during the season was just straight up bad luck. It seemed I failed 80% or more of my Bone Head rolls, rarely got block dice, never broke armor, and only occasionally managed to cause a casualty against the opposing team. Ever single team I played was better skill wise and coached by people who (seemed to) know how to play the game.

My biggest frustration with the overall performance of my team wasn't on the pitch though - it was at the table. Being a new player who jumped head first into this game I am still not 100% on how many of the rules and rule interactions work. I tended to default to the voice of a more "experienced" coach during my matches and this caused problems:

1. Players taking advantage of my lack of rules knowledge to "forget" certain rolls that needed to be made during the course of the game (dodge, interceptions, etc).
2. Getting multiple different rules explanations for how Throw Teammate works cost me untold touchdowns and draws/wins on my record.
3. Sideline coaching was a cause for at least two losses by listening to and acting on poor advice from observers. 

I don't mind losing a game or two (or three or five) but the combination of bad and incorrect rules information, horrible dice rolls, and constantly being outmatched by the opposing team has created a real sense of anger and bitterness in me. In short ... it wasn't fun. I am hoping next season is a bit better for me.

Here is a look at my final roster for the season to date (still have to play the loser's bracket tournament):

It wasn't until my 6th game that I was able to purchase a 5th Ogre for my team - who was promptly knocked out, failing to be rolled back in for the rest of the game (even with a Bloodweiser Babe). My two star player are my captain Trubb Headbuster and his wing man Argut Bloodgulper - these two are really the only ones who have managed to do anything on the team. The worst Ogre by far is Gutsplitter who has spent 90% of the season laying on the ground.

Among the Snotlings (Gnoblars) there is also one standout player - Nibbutz. This little green horror managed to score a touchdown as well as cause a casualty... not sure how that happened. Kneez has also been a constant contributor with two touchdowns and an interception. The others are mostly fodder and I am (not so) secretly trying to get a couple of them killed off before next season starts. 

Well that's it for now! First post of July and the month is almost over ... what can I say? I'll do my best to get some interesting posts up here after I get in some more games and paint some models. Thanks for reading ...

8th edition play - first impressions.

Got the chance to read through the 8th edition book and play a 2000pt game with the new rules yesterday. While I am sure there are plenty of nuances I didn't pick up on I thought it would be valuable to post briefly about my initial thoughts and impressions regarding the new rules. So here we go!

• The game moves faster: with the changes to movement, magic, and close combat, the overall "speed" of the game seems to have increased as well. While my first game with the new rules was slower than average this was mostly due to looking up the changes to certain rules or army book interactions. Overall the game was moving much quicker and I liked it.

• Magic is CRAYZAYY: maxing out on magic users is not always the way to go, in fact it can be a big waste of points. In the end, much of the new magic system comes down to luck. What did you roll for the Winds of Magic? Did your casters manage to channel? How badly do you need your spells to go off? What are you willing to risk? Everything you do in the magic phase has a repercussion. Don't use enough dice - you may lose your chance to cast any more spells with a particular wizard. Use more dice to cast - there is a damn good chance you will get double 6's and suffer some horrible magical backlash in the form of a miscast. Everything is different and I love it.

• No more lame turn 2: in 7th edition most games stalled out on turn 2 as each side played their part in a game of "who gets the charge" chicken near the center of the board. No longer! With every unit essentially rolling 2d6" for their charge you have the possibility of getting into close combat on turn 2 with plain ole infantry! This greatly increases the chances of things going really well for your army or really poorly depending on how you are used to playing. Personally, I am all for it and I can't wait to break out the Ogres and use their higher movement to my advantage.

• Measure what matters: gone are the small arguments and bickering over 1/4" and 1/8" and 1/16" short charges. You measure before you ever declare a charge so you will always have a pretty good idea if you can make it or not. Wanna risk that 16" with your unit of Night goblins? Go for it! Never again will you need to scrutinize the small measurements of a wheel and how it changes the charge - you get two free ones! If you can make it from the closest model of your unit to the closest model of their unit you make the charge! It really is that simple, and best of all it makes the game much more fun!

• Fear not fear: no more outnumber means no more "cheap deaths" after being outnumbered and breaking from a fear causing enemy. No more "I can't charge because I am scared" setups either - fear is tested for after you are in close combat. Fear is good but it isn't game breaking any longer ... so maybe GW can stop giving it out like it is freaking candy now!!

• Leave your toys at the door: sorry 7th edition min/maxers, the new toy in town is basic infantry. Finally - huge blocks of troops can actually do something and make a difference! Even crappy units like Gnoblars can be really scary when you are facing down 40+ attacks at WS2! Hordes, stepping up, and support attacks drastically change the way the game will be played and is far more fun this way. Lots of dudes! Attacking! Lots of dudes! Dying! Lots of fun!

So there you have it. Just a few quick initial thoughts on the new rules and my own experience with them. For those wondering what I played, it was a 2000pt  game of Vampire Counts vs Orcs & Goblins. You know things are moving in the right direction when the O&G player says "wow... playing against Vampire Counts was actually fun!".

UPDATE: For those looking for a more detailed battle report from 8th edition I recommend reading this: http://lazypaintbrush.blogspot.com/2010/06/warhammer-8th-quick-spin-with-new-rules.html

Progress report 6/27/10 - trees, folks, and fun?!

You may be wondering, "What happened to Randroid this time around? Why isn't he updating his blog with funny and insightful posts that inspire and impress me every time I read them?" Well... the only thing I can say is...  June!!!?

A short list of the things that have occurred over the past couple weeks:

- Went on a work related trip to Bloomington, IN for a few days. Learned that there is at least one place in Indiana which is not completely horrible, drank a lot with co-workers and new friends, and learned a couple things pertaining to my job.

- Went on another work related trip to St. Paul, MN for a few more days. Drank some excellent local brews, had the chance to drink some Odell's on tap in a state closer than Colorado, remembered how much I hate sleeping on vinyl covered mattresses, and learned a few more things pertaining to my job.

- Had a half dead tree near my back porch fall over and on to my house during a rough storm that swept through Michigan while I was out of town. Spent a few days stressing (and not in my house) and being very nervous as I watched the tree lean closer and closer to my room full of models, paints, computer equipment, etc. The tree was eventually cut down and no major damage to the house was done - however; in cutting down the tree my house was filled with sawdust (all over my models especially) due to the windows being open in my rooms. Fun?!

So that is what has been occupying my time for the past few weeks. Even during all of that I did manage to get a little bit of hobby related stuff accomplished:

- Played my first 3 full games of Blood Bowl in KUBBL I. Lost my first against the Maynooth Gits because I completely forgot I could throw my players around, tied the second game against last season's champs the Blitzburgh Stealers when I could have won the game had I not forgotten to use my wizard, and lost my last game against the Ikea Spartans when I couldn't manage to down anyone on a team full of dudes with Block. Feeling a little bummed out by the situation but I am still learning how to play the game and my team is evolving. Once I can afford to buy one or two more Ogres for my team I think things will be a bit different.

 

- Got a bit of painting done on my BB team and "finished" my first test model - the fearsome Stinkfinger: Gnoblar superstar and all around bad ass stunty dude. Here is a quick pic of the model:

 

"Trow me ova dare!!"

Now I am headed off to the game store to get in some WHFB 7th edition action and hopefully a bit of time with the new rulebook as well. Either way, we'll soon be knee deep in new fantasy battles and rules in just a few more days!! I am really excited to see how my two armies will change in both build and playstyle with the new edition - how are you feeling about the situation?