Not Now, I'm Busy

 

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF – BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

Andy Mac

 

Ok so if you haven’t already read over ‘Choose your own adventure’ part one then now is probably the time to do it. However if you couldn’t care less about the limp wristed, boot polishing do-gooders of the warhammer world…then I can’t blame you. Ahead of you is a brief look at the nastiest, evilest, and pointiest armies in the warhammer game, put together to help gamers everywhere decide just how they are going to ravage the Old World next tournament season.

THE FORCES OF DARKNESS.

 

Army: WARRIORS OF CHAOS

 

Overview:

The warriors of chaos are the human champions of the dark gods. The kind of iron clad, spiky clubbed jocks that play keep away with your warhorse. These blood-craving lunatics live only to do battle and win favour in the eyes of their insidious masters. Each chaos warrior is a match for a dozen of his fellow humans. Mages twist and terrorize the enemies of the dark gods while mighty warlords, almost gods in their own right, bellow challenges to enemy lords in an endless search for glory.

Difficulty:

Easy – A player on his first day could fling fist after fist of dice at the table with his eyes closed and still expect to cause some serious mayhem with this army. High strength, toughness, and armour make this army all but fool proof for close combat loving players.

 

Pro:

The basic Chaos Warrior possesses a stat sheet that looks more like a hero choice for most other armies. The Warriors of chaos can throw down with the best of them and in a straight fight will make short work of anything they come up against. And that’s before you get to the chosen warriors and chaos knights. Add in some hellishly scary characters, vicious mages, and a good smattering of giants and shaggoths there’s not many people who can truly stuff up this army.

Con:

The Warriors of chaos used to have a real issue with ranged attack, but with the addition of the Hell Cannon, and their already impressive mages and armour saves, this really isn’t much of a problem anymore. Likewise the Warriors of Chaos once suffered from quite small army sizes, their troops being so expensive, but again this was overcome with the arrival of Marauders and Hounds. The only real con that remains with this force is that if you’re a player who likes subtlety and finesse there’s is not much they can offer you. If you like tearing opponents new chaos gateways though, these are the guys for you.

Why I would choose this army:

For a new player this army is great for winning games. I would be careful using them to pound too many inexperienced players though, or you’ll find that pretty quick no one feels like challenging you anymore. On the other hand if I didn’t have much prep time but still wanted a win, these are the go to guys to deliver.

 

Army: DAEMONS OF CHAOS

 

Overview:

Daemons of Chaos are the nightmares and fears of every living creature in the warhammer world given shape by the twisting winds that escape the chaos gate at the tip of the world. Warped and reviling these are not mere illusions that will go away when you shut your eyes, they’ll tear your left arm off and beat you with it, whether you believe in their existence or not.  

Difficulty:

Easy – I know that’s the second chaos listing in the easy pile but lets face it, if you know the basics of the game (i.e. get into combat and kill stuff) then their aren’t many armies that do it quite like the Daemons do.

Pro:

The Horrors are spell casters, the Bloodletters are the bane of the enemies elite units, the Daemonettes are swift with plenty of attack and the plague bearers are one of the most resilient units in the game. Throw in a Deamon Prince or Greater Daemon and winning a game is really up to your opponent now. This army has something for gamers, painters, converters, and collectors alike.

 

Con:

Units in this army are quite expensive as far as points go. In 99% of games your daemons will be outnumbered, and once you are at the point where you can truly call your collection complete, it will be a rare occasion that you’ll be fighting a battle big enough for you to bring ALL your favourite models.

Why I would choose this army:

This army is what I would call in collecting terms a ‘quicky’. You don’t need five or more units and three characters to put on your first real game. Points wise you’ll be lucky to fit four units plus all your characters in an average match. For this reason the army is quite ‘quick’ to organise and get gaming with. (And who needs psychology tests anyway)

 

Army: ORCS AND GOBLINS

 

Overview:  Orcs and Goblins are the big green dudes that everybody knows about. They travel in nomadic warbands all across the warhammer world but particularly in the badlands south of the Empire of man. Greenskins as they are collectively know are a crude lot, preferring brute force to any kind of finesse. In fact it is harder for an Orc to string a sentence together than it is for him to pillage an entire town on his own, and why talk when you can pillage? The Goblins are the smaller and necessarily sneekier part of the warbands, useful for building whatever crude machines and weapons the Orcs may need, and in numbers they can also be a force in their own right.

 

Difficulty:

Easy – Simplicity itself. The big guys are good at wailing on enemies in close combat, the small guys are better in numbers. And pretty much everyone enjoys a good melee. A few rules to remember like animosity tests, but nothing too stressful.

 

Pro:

This army has two very big pro’s, firstly you get the widest range of units in any other list, secondly just look at the units and even a noob will know what to do with them, there’s no intricacy here. Orcs are big, get them in combat. Black Orcs are bigger, get them in combat too. Goblins are not so big, so make sure you have three times as many of them and THEN, say it with me, get them in combat. Giant spiders, trolls, chariots, giants, boarboyz etc etc. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to use this army. But then again like other armies an experienced player can also make it quite challenging for himself with the variety available.

Con:

They’re greenskins and many would argue this army has been done to death. It’s hard to keep these guys exciting and fresh after so many years. But that’s just my opinion. On the field the main stumbling block for the greenskin player is low ballistic and weapon skills, and a general lack control. Low leadership and failed animosity tests can really tip the game in your opponents favour in a few bad rolls.

Why I would choose this army:

This army always has, and always will be a staple of the warhammer world. I would have to say if I were to collect them however I would go the opposite way to the easy mob strong horde and make things as complicated as possible. Rock lobbers and doom divers that misfire, squigs and fanatics that go haywire, trolls and pretty much all other greenskin units not doing what they’re told all seems a lot of chaotic fun. No matter what your opponent is doing you can have a perfectly engrossing war against your own army on your side of the board. It has certainly given me no end of fun watching it unfold for my opponents in the past.

 

Army: DARK ELVES

 

Overview:  The Dark Elves were once part of the same race that made up the High Elves. However at some point in the distant past some High Elves became a little too interested in pursuing their own interests, which largely involved pleasure and debasement and not a lot of do-gooding. Thus a great rift divided Ulthuan, and after a catastrophic civil war these Elves were forced by their High Elf cousins to flee to the shadowy lands of Naggaroth. Ever since they have bent their insidious minds to the complete destruction of their upstart relations.

 

Difficulty:

MEDIUM – Just not quite the army their High Elf cousins are. Don’t get me wrong; they still pack a punch, but it takes a little more guile to master this lot.

 

Pro:

Dark Elves are High Elves on heroin. These guys don’t get the always strikes first or extra rank bonuses that their High Elf bretheren do but they make up for it with some wicked special units. Hydras, cold one riders and the old fashion favourites the assassins make this army death on legs; nimble elven legs. Hatred, powerful magic and a menagerie of monstrous creatures make this army truly lethal, while the intricate aspects such as repeating crossbows and witches make them just plain fun.

Con:

While the basic principle of the army seems simple enough, there core units are almost identical to high elves, I seldom feel the same apprehension going into a game against these guys as I do their snow white counterparts. In fact I can honestly say I’ve never really felt any apprehension at all. The fact is that although they look like a meaner elf, out of the High or Wood elves they are a quite delicate force, a player needs to really snatch the momentum in a game and keep it, and I have yet to meet a player who has been able to put the fear of the Witch King in me thus far.

Why I would choose this army:

The reason I would pick this army has to boil down to curiosity. I have spent many years staring at ranks of executioners, repeating crossbows (come on! they’re like arrow spitting oozy’s!) and winged nightmares arrayed against my various beastly armies, only to watch these death dealers get mauled in some of my easiest wins.  The ingredients are there, skilled elfish warriors meet terrifying beasts. These guys deserve to be feared, and in the right hands they could be the stuff of nightmares. 

 

Army:  SKAVEN

 

Overview:

The Skaven dwell underneath the old world in a network of vast, interconnecting tunnels. The creatures are a horrid mutation of man and rat, though which is more prevalent nobody truly knows.  Viscous and scheming their only thoughts are of rising up from the sewers and swamps and taking the world for themselves. Arcane technologies and stealthy assassins the Skaven don’t care what it takes to get on top, though the more destruction along the way the better.

Difficulty:

Medium – The Skaven army is basically a horde army but numbers alone can’t win you the game here. You’ll need loads of cantankerous machines, hideous mutant beasties, and cunning to show those top dwellers whose boss.

Pro:

The Skaven have lots of ‘fill the hole’ units with very specific purposes that a player can take advantage of. Basically once you have a couple of big block units (and make them big to avoid leadership woes) just look at your opponent’s army and see what you need. They got big ugly trolls? You got ratogres. They got well-armoured knights? You got jezzails and warp cannons. They got giants? You got hellpit obominations, the list goes on. There’s something to counter everything in the Skaven army.

Con:

Leadership is horrid in a Skaven force! You’ll see plenty of 5’s or 6’s here. It is a real juggle of large units, generals, and battle standard bearers to keep this force on the field, which can really be a headache for new players. Also there is the tendency for Skaven machines to do more damage to their own troops than the enemy. For an inexperienced player this may be a learning curve that’s a bit too steep, unless they really want a challenge and don’t mind getting trounced a few times along the way.

Why I would choose this army:

I just love the idea of Skaven as a customizable force. The array of machines, beasts and a few assassins here and there really can put the fear in your enemy. They do tend to run away a lot, and their machines tend to fail catastrophically, but if your smarmy enough to think you can still pull off a win in spite of this (and love pointing it out to your opponents “hey all my clansmen fled in turn two, but I still wiped you out with rattling guns!”) then this force is definitely for you.

 

Army: OGRE KINGDOMS

 

Overview:

From the far east of the old world come the clans of the Ogre Kingdoms. These brutish creatures of muscle and fat stand head and shoulders over their enemies. They live for only two things, eating and battling, both of which they excel at. A Single ogre is a match for a whole unit of enemy soldier. An army of Ogres is to be well respected.

Difficulty:

Medium – They may seem simple enough. Big guys… bash them into the enemy… win. But the economy of force (your only looking at about 15-20 models on the bored –no one counts gnoblars) means you have to watch your game and keep away from missle fire and hardcore magic’s.

Pro:

The army in essence is a fairly straightforward affair of getting to grips with your opponent. Few units make this army easy to collect and paint up ready for the next tournament season. Although brutish this force is not without it’s missile and magic units. Personally I would be reviewing my battle plans if I was facing a greenhorn player with this army. Up against a warhammer veteran I could foresee some serious doubt amongst my troops.

Con:

The force you’ll be dealing with here will be a small one (obviously numbers wise not height). They can dish out death by the barrow full, but the trick is getting them to your opponent who will be shooting, ducking, weaving and magic blasting all in an effort to make sure none of your force gets to combat. Although you do have certain amounts of magic and missile troops expect to be outclassed in both of these by most opponents. You trump card is your combat, it’s not fancy, but its what you need to win.

Why I would choose this army:

Lets face it this is not the most serious army in the game. Gnoblar scrap launchers, butchers for shamans, and ninja ogres! It just plain ridiculous. And that’s the beauty of this force. From models to army book this force is meant to be a bit of fun, a break away from the serious rank and file, and artistic magic. They eat, they fight, they look like they could all use a Tony Ferguson diet shake or two. So if you’re over the serious ‘warhammer at ten paces’ games you’ve been having of late, bust out an ogre army and have a chuckle next battle.

 

Army: BEASTMEN

 

Overview:

The Beastmen were once men themselves, twisted by chaos when it first flooded over the world these men were force, or fled themselves, from their tribes into the dark corners of the old world. Now roaming the shadowy forests in great warbands the beastmen mix animal instinct with human cunning as they hunger to tear down all that is civilized about the world. The beastmen are the true followers of chaos, unlike their human warrior counterparts, who choose to follow the gods for favours and glory, the Beastmen are born with an innate sense of their dark creators, and worship them from birth.

Difficulty:

Hard – Once upon a time these guys had 2 wounds each and were just plain unstoppable. Now however, low armour and fairly middle of the road stats means victory rests entirely with the general fielding them.

Pro:

Beastmen are built for combat with minotaurs, bestigors, chariots and a host of giant sized beasties. Ambush rules make this army flexible in the deployment phase and can really confound missile heavy opponents.  With fairly cheap troops large horde units can be fielded along side cheap but effective chariots, as well as some huge scarey creatures. The magic is also fairly solid as shamans play a big role in Beastmen society.

Con:

It can probably be said that the Beastmen army has gone through more changes than any other force in warhammer. Starting out as tough-as-nails, 2 wounds apiece warriors that marched like an unstoppable wave set to over run any force before them, they were then toned down in the next edition. Only 1 wound, and less range of magic and special weapons. To make up they were turned into an almost entirely skirmish force that could out manoeuvre a squirrel on speed. Now however, almost all the rules that made beastmen exciting and different have been removed, and you have a force that sits somewhere between Orcs and humans, with some extra giant monsters and some ambush ability to tell them apart. A general now has a pretty middle-weight force to work with, and will have to do some fancy footwork (and good ambush rolls) to make this army sucessful

Why I would choose this army:

The Beatmen models are some of the best in the game. Fierce looking creature in from the simple gors and ungors right up to the minotaurs and beastlords. The ambush rules still make this a fun army to field although they have lost a lot of their flavour over the editions. A general can really get a challenge out of this army and if that’s what your looking for than I slap you with the proverbial gauntlet and say “En-guard sucker.”

 

Army: TOMB KINGS

 

Overview:

The ancient kings of Nehekhara wage unending war against the world of the living with their hordes of sun-bleached bone warriors in their thousands at their side. From the shifting sands of their homeland these hordes of long dead soldiers replete in armour of bronze and gold also lay claim to ancient monsters and armies of chariots that will unnerve the bravest of living warriors.

Difficulty:

Hard – I have fought, and been beaten by this and other undead armies before, and even as a gamer with years of experience, sometimes the rules, magic’s and items are so complex in this kind of army, that at the end of the day… I’m not entire sure HOW I got beaten.

Pro:

This army has everything from large units of shambling skeleton warriors, to ranks of bowmen, fast moving chariots and cavalry, monstrous ushabti and even bone giants and catapults. Held together by some serious spell castors these army are tough to crack. The characters are seriously powerful mages, the troops are damn near impossible to finish off (they just keep getting back up) and unlike other undead forces these guys can be dead fast (get it?). Smash into your enemy, or play at his weak spots with magic, missile fire and fast hitting units. There’s a lot of flexibility here.

Con:

Like most undead armies there is a lot here to wrap your head around if you’re new to the game. Your army doesn’t break, sounds simple, but it means there’s other tests at the end of combat that can result in skeletons dropping lifelessly to the ground. Then of course their ways to regenerate them, spells to bring back more of the dead, or raise new units, magic items that help, and deadly spells to be cast. There is so much going on here even watching and tomb king player at work can give you a real headache. You really need to be up on your army book, magic rules, and a million other details to get the best out of this army.

Why I would choose this army:

This army is one that can literally fall apart on you if you don’t fully master all the in’s and out’s of keeping your skeletons together. Basically it’s all up to your characters. Loose these and its nighty night. The reason I would pick this army is for revenge. I have spent many games chasing down necromancers who have magic items that negate weapons, or can just fly away from my beastlords, while they casually pommel my lines with magic and resurrect the troops I just finished slaying. MY TURN!

 

Army: VAMPIRE COUNTS

 

Overview:

The Vampiric aristocracy of the eastern provinces of the old world are a constant threat. These immortal beings command armies of the undead, and supernatural creatures, and they are hell bent on making all living souls their chew toys. Ghosts, ghouls and all manner of things that go bump in the night are at hand to destroy and devour anyone foolish enough to stand in their way.

Difficulty:

Hard – Like the tomb kings this is another army I would not recommend to inexperienced players. If only to put and end to games where the living side takes 20mins to finish a turn, and the undead side a whole hour.

Pro:

Unlike to tomb kings this force has a little more give in it. You don’t HAVE to take powerful spell castors that need to avoid combat. Vampire counts can more than take care of themselves in a scrap. Again the army is scary when it comes to magic phase time, and regenerates just like the tomb kings. This army has a range of monsters, ghosts and swarms to keep your opponent well and truly on the ropes before your general and his undead infantry shamble in to finish them off.

Con:

Again, the army is just so complicated! Ethereal beings, magic items, resurrections, spells, its all just a very round about way to kill off your enemy. It’s a lot to take in, and master before your really got a game winner on your hands. And it can be all too tempting in this force to get your characters into the fray, but loose them and its back to graveyard for your troops.

Why I would choose this army:

This is the army for experienced players who are sick of playing ‘by the book’. Had enough of break tests, psychology, death even? Who needs them when you can play with a force that avoids all of these. Add some really vicious characters and dark magic and it’s the complexity of martialling this force that is its actual draw card. Again hats off to players that use this force, honestly there’s so much to it that I really cant keep up with what’s happening in their turn. I just begrudging help then turn up resurrected troops and take away my own that never seem to survive the magic phase.

 

SO THAT’S IT GUYS. THE REST IS UP TO YOU.

 

SEE YOU ON THE FIELD. 

 

Picking a warhammer army.

 

 Andy mac

So your new to the whole Warhammer gaming experience and deciding on your first army…or perhaps you’ve decided to give your old army a much needed ‘R and R’ and are beginning work on a new horde. We’ve all been there, and there are as many ways of deciding which army to get as there are ways to skin a dwarf. You could pick your favourite model, and decide to build an army around it, you could find an army you think will be easy/challenging to paint. Maybe you’ve fought for right and justice a little to long and it’s time to get your claws dirty? Maybe you’ve suffered many ignoble defeats and are now looking for the quickest way to get revenge.

What follows is a brief run down on all the armies that make up the Warhammer world and how they work on the field.  This article will hopefully help younger players to find an army more suited to their skill level, and assist experienced players looking for more of a challenge.

For the sake of time and length I have broken each army down to about a paragraph dealing with difficulty rating, overview, pros, cons, and why I personally would pick the army. This first article will cover the forces of good, and I will do a following article for the forces of chaos.

This is by no means a definitive look at any of the below mentioned forces, just something to get the ideas rolling. So before anyone gets all huffy about their army being placed in the EASY section of this listing I would just like to point out that I am rating these army’s on how easily they CAN be used. So don’t get upset if Orcs and goblins are found in the easy listing when you’re all doom diver goblin army takes a mind numbing amount of calculations to work effectively. The listing also refers to an all Orc boy and black Orc horde force.

So lets begin…

 

THE FORCES OF LIGHT.

 

Army: EMPIRE

Overview:

The Empire is the bastion of humanity in the Old world. With all the Dragons, Ogres, Dragon Ogres and who knows what lurking in wilds, they are the simple humans busting their hump to make a home for themselves in a dire and unforgiving land. Mixing magic and machines, steel and gunpowder, these brave men battle against untold darkness with gritty determination.

Difficulty:

Easy – Basic all round units cover most battlefield situations with no need for complicated rules or wargear.

Pro:

The army can be made as simple as you like. Blocks of infantry and cavalry with a lord are all you need here. But don’t let that stop the more experienced players. With a monstrous array of artillery and character choices this army is also a playground for players who want some real spice in their games. Artillery heavy armies with great cannons, mortars, rockets and a steam tank come to mind.

Con:

A lot of players can find the Empire army very ‘Beige’ in the grander tapestry of beasties that can be found in the Warhammer world. Also their brilliantly adorned armour and human tones can make painting a challenge for newer gamers, when other armies like Orcs, or Beastmen just need a good dollop of green or brown.

Why I would choose this army:

This army is the perfect all rounder, a new gamer can start with the basics, and it doesn’t get more basic than unit of swordmen, archers, knights and a lord. However as a player’s skill grows there is no stopping the complexity of the army growing with them. Add some mages, artillery, steam tanks, griffon mounted heroes etc etc, and the army can be full of surprises. The Empire army list can also be twisted into quite a challenging force to field if a player so chooses. Cavalry and artillery focussed armies are not unheard of, and would be quite a joy for an experienced gamer to tackle.

 

Army: DWARVES

Overview:

The ancient realm of the old world has been home to the Dwarves for countless generations. Some would argue, particularly the Dwarves, that no one else has more right to this land then they. However centuries of vicious conflict with Elves, Goblins and Skaven have reduced this once grand empire to a shadow of its former glory. The Dwarves fight for honour and also because they’re just plain grumpy old sods. The Dwarves would see their race brought back to their rightful place as king pins of the old world, if it takes their blood on the battle field to do it. 

Difficulty:

Easy – A stand and hold sort of an army, with very little room for complicated manoeuvring. A well-deployed army of Dwarfs can outclass many faster more agile foes.

Pro:

Like the Empire the Dwarf army can be made as infinitely simple as you, the player want. Arguably, the fact that the Dwarves are so limited in their movement means they are made even simpler because the constant manoeuvring, and out manoeuvring of other armies is done away with. With solid blocks of infantry, reliable missile troops and artillery, not to mention great leadership, Dwarves are the immovable objects of the warhammer world.

Con:

The Dwarves lack of manoeuvrability can be their Achilles heel, and if a player can’t grasp the ins and outs of a good deployment phase then his game will be lost before it starts. The lack of fast moving cavalry and mages can also make players feel like they’re being cheated out of some of the more fun aspects of the game.

Why I would choose this army:

Having the challenge of holding an army steady against a rampaging horde that by comparison moves lighting fast can be an exciting part of the game in itself, almost like your army is battling uphill from the start. It is also a great choice for generals who need a ‘breather’ after fielding vastly more complicated forces. Good wargear and Rune choices, along with a solid deployment, are the only real worries for a Dwarf commander. Get these right and leave everything else to the dice.

 

Army: HIGH ELVES

Overview:

The High Elves are among the most ancient race in the Warhammer world. From their island sanctuary of Ulthuan the High Elves see themselves as custodians of all that is good in the Warhammer world. They are the sworn enemies of Chaos and fight it in all its forms. Proud to the point of arrogance, and greatly skilled in all the arts, the High Elves can lay claim to some of the finest troops and prettiest dresses of the Warhammer world. They are the white-hot light in the darkness, a beacon against the evil that lurks in the shadows.

Difficulty:

Easy – World class leadership, mages, and troops. High speeds and some scary close combat ability meet dead accurate shooting with dragons to boot.

Pro:

The humble high elf may seem to be a bit on the feminine side when we compare his basic stats to an Orc or Chaos Warrior, but cast your eyes over their special rules and watch the Chaos hounds wet themselves. To put it simply, your basic High Elf will always (ALWAYS) strike before their opponent and can fight, or shoot, in three or even four ranks! Spend your entire 1500 points on two units of spearmen and one massive unit of swordmasters and tell me they aren’t an easy army to fight with. Match this with some fast flying cavalry and eagles, and some of the games fiercest magic, and you’ve got an army that can cut an enemy to ribbons without even creasing their Sunday dress.

Con:

If the high elves have a con its their more manoeuvrable troop choices, while piles of spearmen, archers and swordmasters can take care of themselves, weaker units like Ellyrian Reavers, chariots and silverhelms can be countered quite effectively by most armies. The points cost is also a delicate juggle in the High Elf force. You pretty much get large block units OR lots of flexibility and fun to use units, never both, and it can get awful boring playing the same three massive horde units every game.

Why I would choose this army:

A man once said to me that ‘Arrogance is only Arrogance when you can’t back it up’. That’s the attraction High Elves have for me, sure they seem proud for a race with less collective muscle than Steven Hawking’s little toe (too far?) but put them together and watch chosen chaos knights turned to pin cushions for arrows and spears. With a wide array of characterful hero and lord choices they really are an impressive and deadly force for good.

 

Army: LIZARDMEN

Overview:

The Lizardmen are as their namesake suggests, walking humanoid reptilians spawned by some ancient race to do their bidding. With that race long gone, the Lizardmen continue to spawn and execute the mysterious commands of their Slann overlords, and it is pretty wise to obey the undisputed masters of the Warhammer magic phase. From the daunting hulks of Steggadons to the swift and crafty Skinks the Lizardmen are an exotic and deadly force that dominate the misty jungles of the new world.

Difficulty:

Medium – some tough troops and fantastic magic, the rules, unit types, and magic choices are what make this army slightly trickier for the beginner.

Pro:

The Lizardmen army wields the strongest mages in the game and somewhat paradoxically (and much to the lament of their enemies) it also lays claim to some of the toughest fighters and beasts. You will never get tired of a Lizardmen force, from Carnosaurs to Terradons, Skinks to Kroxigors, Saurus warriors to Chameleons…the list goes on. This army can wage guerrilla war on your flanks, blitz your centre with tough blocks of troops and monstrous creatures all while raining magical death from a distance. There isn’t much in a Lizardmen army that’s worth ignoring, if you plan to make it out Lustria alive.

Con:

Some of the options for unit arrangement (eg Kroxigors and skink units, Slann mages in Saurus units) can be complicated, and the sheer variety of special units such as Razordons, Steggadons, and Terradons means a player will have to know his army book inside out if he doesn’t want to look like a total NOOB come tournament time. Skirmishing is also a tricky business to get right, but once you succeed in both these areas it really does pay off.

Why I would choose this army:

In one word, exotic. The Lizardmen army has some real character to each and every troop type, and unlike the High Elves smaller units of Lizardmen can still be very effective. This means that you can have more variety in your force without giving up its efficiency in the field. This army is great for players that revel in the minute differences between their units and love that real variety in their force.

 

Army: BRETTONIA

Overview:

Brettonia is the second largest state of humans to inhabit the old world after the Empire, a feudal society that goes to war with a mix of knightly warriors and their serfs. One of the few Warhammer armies that can truly field an all cavalry force Brettonia sets its military prowess solely on the shoulders of its warrior knights. Out of countless castles pour the brilliantly heralded heroes of this country, flags flapping colourfully in the breeze, favours from bosomy ladies tucked safely beneath their plated armour. 

Difficulty:

Hard – all cavalry may sound fun, but if you don’t get the charge, expect things to go to pieces quickly.

Pro:

The Brettonian army is one of extremes and if you enjoy living on the edge this is the army for you. Watching your brave outnumbered (more often than not) knights charging valorously into their foes and skewering them with their mighty lances can only bring a player joy. If you want brave charges and hard fought glory this army dishes it out in spades. With trebuchets pegasi and crazy religious types this army is just diverse enough to stay interesting as well.

Con:

This army can be very unforgiving to the general who does not use it wisely. To win games you army has to charge, to charge you need to out manoeuvre your opponent and use every piece of terrain to your advantage. This army therefore demands a higher tactical knowledge than some of the more forgiving/flexible armies out there. Even a skilled player can have difficulties when facing an opponent who has wisely learned to take measures against being out flanked and charged by your knights in party hats. Also the bright liveries of the knights can be a challenge for newer painters to really pull off.

Why I would choose this army:

Purely for the thrill of watching flash units of brave knights smash into whatever the enemy has to offer. Sure there are other units in the army, like Bowmen, Men at Arms and Pegasi but it’s the knights that make the army. Against an equally skilled opponent the intricate ballet of manoeuvring and counter manoeuvring can be an intense and enjoyable time no matter who wins.

 

Army: WOOD ELVES

Overview:

The Elves that inhabit the mysterious forest of Athel Loren are the keepers of the sacred wood. Illusive and lethal, they guard their realm from all those foolish enough to venture within its shadowy borders. The deadly aim of the archers of Athel Loren is rightly feared by the other races of the old world, and more often than not, they are accompanied by the spirits of the trees themselves. Fast moving, these warriors pounce upon their victims, cutting them down like wheat before the scythe, and then disappearing back into the shady green cover of the woods, all without looking nearly as androgynous as their High Elf cousins.

Difficulty:

Hard – a delicate army that requires a sound understanding of deploying and manoeuvring to get right.

Pro:

The warriors of Athel Loren are deadly at range and their ability to skirmish and move through cover makes them the guerrilla war experts of the old world. If you love being able to decide when and where to dish out serious pain to your opponent then the supernatural archery of the Wood elves is for you. With loads of fast moving and skirmish units this army can run circles around most opponents as they desperately try to get into close combat against these stealthy Elf kin. 

Con:

Low armour and low toughness pretty much across the board is what you can expect here. Your troops may be deadly at range, and picking on weak flanks but get charged by a snotling swarm and you’ll be lucky to escape unscathed. Their magic is good but not amazing and they lose out with any sort of heavy machinery like bolt throwers or chariots. The tree men and great eagles can help to counter this but they can’t win you the day on their own. It takes some seriously clever use of the army and terrain, as well as knowing the weak points of your opponent before you’ll be scoring big wins with these guys.

Why I would choose this army:

The challenge is the short answer to this question. The Wood Elf army is doubtlessly effective in the shooting phase, but the trick is to really know where to hit, and where to run. Focus your efforts on taking out your opponents strong melee units before he can get into combat, and avoiding his own missile troops and you’ll get somewhere. A battle with a Wood Elf force is a mix of high art and quick thinking, and will reward a player with a truly intense gaming experience. Put one foot wrong, and your warriors will be run down by heavy cavalry and armoured soldiers, stay one step ahead however, and your opponent will never know what hit them.

So that’s it, hope it was helpful reading and would love to hear any feedback or comments.

NEXT TIME

WE LOOK AT THE IN’S AND OUTS OF SOME OF THE TOOTHIER DENIZENS OF THE WARHAMMER WORLD…

 

I love warhammer. I love building, modelling, sculpting, painting, playing and winning. But what I don’t love is buying. Buying citadel miniatures from Games Workshop is expensive, even compared to their prices a few years ago when I first started collecting. Now I’m not saying that they are overcharging or doing anything else naughty, but without any real completion they can charge pretty much whatever they want and gamers (and their mummys) will keep coming back. So what can you do to help cut down the cost of wargaming? I went through a short period without a lot of cash (although that may have been because I spent it all on rum) and have graciously decided to share some tips I picked up to keep your army growing even when your wallet isn’t.

 

Use what you already have

This is the most important one and everyone seems to forget it. Do you really need that new unit of Swordmasters or Knights when there’s 100 odd core troopers lying un-assembled/painted at the back of the wardrobe. Finish up these units before you go out and buy a new one.

 

Games Workshop is not the only shop in the world.

There are other places to get warhammer models. Some small hobby shops stock miniatures for a little less than GW, even if it’s only $5 a box, it will add up when you’re getting an entire army. Games Workshop also tend to charge a lot for tools and other bits and pieces. There’s no need to spend money on a GW brand of sidecutters when you can pick some up from a hardware store or even a Go-Lo type store for a fraction of the cost. A good place to look for models is eBay. I wanted to get myself some trolls and a giant for my Orc & Goblin army, so I went to Games Workshop and checked out the range. I hadn’t been in for a while and had forgotten that this can be an expensive hobby and found a hefty price tag of $217 (for four stone trolls and a giant). That made me think twice about buying them from the store so I went home and checked online. BAM! $265 for an entire O&G army including 5 stone trolls, a giant, well over 200 orcs and goblins of different varieties and even a few chariots and war machines. So for $48 I got pretty much an entire army delivered to my door. Always check eBay before making a new purchase at GW. That deal is not the only good one I’ve seen. Another thing to note is that unless you’re taking your army to GW run events there is no reason to use Citadel miniatures exclusively. Most of the time Citadel does produce higher quality models, but there are plenty of other companies around that will beat their price, it’s up to you to decide whether the price matches the look.

Goblin Pirates and a Beastman Bezerker from Maelstrom games.

If you’re strapped for cash, don’t be afraid to buy a few ‘uglier’ models to use for fleshing out your units. Instead of paying $50 for another 10 models at GW why not get some cheap ones to go in the middle. Once a unit is painted you’ll be surprised how the cheap guys blend into the middle.

 

Build your own

Once again, unless you’re going to a GW tournament the only thing stopping you from building your own models is imagination, and to a lesser extent skill. It’s surprisingly easy to create war machines, chariots and the like out of bits and pieces lying around the house. I’ve built myself a few bolt throwers and a pump wagon for my orcs and with a couple of spare spears and some wayward crew members they fit right in. Making 4 bolt throwers and a pump wagon cost me about $15 and a couple of hours, including the cost of the crew. GW retail for this is $215.

 

A pump wagon made out of old bitz and a few spare snotling models (above) and the GW version ($55) (below)

 

Bolt throwers made from balsa wood and spare bitz (above) and the GW model ($40ea) (bottom)

Once you’re confident in your modelling ability try and do a bit of sculpting. The easiest way is to use some old arms and heads left over from regiment boxes and sculpt some torsos/legs out of greenstuff or putty.

 

Convert Convert Convert

Characters cost a lot. A lot of them are over $50 for one guy on a cavalry mount or even on foot. Of course you’re not going to be able to whip up a dragon out of spare bits but a lord on a warhorse is another story. Take a regular knight and give him a giant sword and a few pretty ornaments and you’ve got yourself a decent looking hero.

    

           My converted fanatics, soon to hit the painting line (above) and one of the new GW model (below, $8 ea)

Making a soldier into a lord or an archer into a wizard isn’t really that hard, and even if you like the proper models better, converting your own will at least let you play a few games while you save up for that stunning levitating mage. Don’t forget to fill in any gaps you leave behind with overzealous slicing and dicing with some greenstuff.

   
  

This Orc Shaman used to be an arrer boy. He still needs a bit of work but much cheaper than the GW mini (right, $22)

 

Terrain

Don’t want to shell out $450 for Games Workshop’s battle board. Easy, just make your own. I bought a couple of 3’x4’ (900mm x 1200mm) particleboard sheets from Bunnings and glued a grass mat to them. Put some foam on the underside and you have a battlefield ready to go. This type of table cost under $80, including $45 for a GW grass mat. Add a few cardboard hills and rocks from the backyard and you have enough terrain to go for a few games while you get into the more difficult stuff like self-made forests and rivers. There’s plenty of websites out there showing you how to make your own terrain.

  

My home-made cardboard hills and wire forests.

Removable trees on a flat base make it much easier to march through. Stepped hills are also much easier to get models to sit on than ones with sloped edges.

 

The Citadel variety. Looks nicer but this combo costs over $80.

Another note on terrain is don’t forget to look at generic hobby or model train stores. They often have terrain suitable for warhammer at a fraction of the cost of the Games Workshop variety, or will at least have cheaper flock/foliage. Also, DON’T BUY SAND. It’s called a beach. Just take a bucket or a chinese food container with you next time and bring home some free modelling materials.

 

Proxy games

Before you shell out $100 for a new unit play a few games with a friend who won’t mind playing against a unit of Black Guard wearing really convincing goblin costumes. If you get through a few games and decide that they’re not working with your army then you can move on without a lighter wallet. This concept also works with terrain. I’ve played many battles around a pepsi can watchtower surrounded by paper forests.

 

‘Chaos’ Knights assault the PVA tower.  

But remember, don’t get too comfortable playing with ‘counts as’ models and terrain, once you’ve decided to make a unit a permanent part of your army then you should really make an effort to get some models that look the part. All these tips and tricks are great for saving cash but sometimes there’s really no option other than to bite the bullet with some of the more spectacular models. After searching eBay and asking around the local stores for any second hand models going you might just have to hand the red shirt a pile of cash to take your dragon lord home. That’s all I’ve got to offer this time, but hopefully you can save yourself a bit of money (and build some new skills) as your new force grows from a tiny garrison to a mighty horde.

 

DARK ELDAR. 

It has been many many years since we first discovered what lurked inside the shadows of the 41st millennium. When the Dark Eldar began invading real space they gave 40k players everywhere a whole new reason to be afraid of the dark.

The new release Dark Eldar sees a refining of some elements of the Dark Eldar background and forces, and a complete overhaul of others. While devouring the new codex and talking the ears of anyone foolish enough to listen I have found some mixed emotions surrounding the new instalment.

The fact is that a lot has changed, and there is going to be players that are happy about it and players that aren’t. So lets break some of it down.

 

Models

The easiest change to recognise in the new edition Dark Eldar are the models. You would have to be living under a rock, or perhaps hiding under your bed, not to have seen the awesome new Raider and Ravager models that will no doubt become the centrepiece for most Dark Eldar armies out there. These models I feel will surely stand the test of time, and future editions. The other massive thumbs up has to go to the designers of the new mandrakes. What a complete rebirth these creatures have had. The original models fell far short of doing these creepy shadow dwellers justice. Looking more like gimp clad elves on there way to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror then the stuff of nightmares, these models have been reborn base to blade tip, and we are all so very glad! (maniacal laughter!)

All is not well however. While I do like the look of the Dark Eldar warriors being spikier and even more evil, the obvious throw back in weapons and jet bikes to the original, Craftworld Eldar sours the blood of any true resident of

Commorragh. Over the years of playing I have learnt to respect and admire the deadliness of Dark Eldar weaponry, and teach many opponents to do the same. Having the new look models brandishing what in essence is a shuriken catapult with spikes only serves to swell the contempt we already have for our distant limp wristed Eldar cousins. Everything from splinter pistols to dark lances now has a flavour of Eldar (arguably the most wimpy, un-spiky army in the 40k universe).

Overall this minor inconvenience has been adequately made up for by the awesome Mandrakes, Raiders, Incubi and Ravagers, and flipping through the codex at some of the models yet to be released, (Venoms, parasite engines and fingers crossed, Razorwing jetfighters and Voidraven bombers.) this lashing together of Dark Eldar and there most hated kin is quite bearable.

 

 

The Rules

I think the first thirty questions I received upon informing my friends that I was in possession of the new Dark Eldar codex all revolved around a certain shadowy field-like device that was always a favourite of my Archon in the past. LAMENT REALSPACE DWELLERS! For the shadow field still has pride of place in every self respecting Archons wardrobe. In fact, as far as wargear goes the Dark Eldar have gotten more variety, whilst very little has been removed. The only noticeable absence is the Archon’s combat drugs. These used to be my absolute favourite thing about Dark Eldar characters. After downing/injecting who knows what into their systems the effected character could potentially gain extra attacks, charge further, improve strength, re-roll misses or all of the above. Conversely he/she could always overdose and drop dead on the spot. Leaving your opponent in convulsions of laughter and whatever dance they always seemed to have pre-planned (but seldom used) for the death of your Archon. Combat drugs still appear in the new codex but in a much more subdued fashion. They can only be taken once, with the results lasting the whole game, and what they lack in oomph they make up for by having no chance of killing your Archon.

Another change is the plethora of poison weapons now in the Dark Eldar arsenal. If you’re a living, breathing creature, expect to be wounded on a 4+ no matter what your toughness is (More Orks! More Tyranids! Bring me more!).

Power from Pain is undoubtedly the biggest rule that will change the way a Dark Eldar army plays. When the Dark Eldar were first released all those years ago we met an army that was so deadly, yet so fragile, that it played like no other army available in the 40k universe. Now again the Power from Pain rule means that to be a Dark Eldar player you will need to plan and execute your game differently to any other race.

Basically it goes like this, your average Dark Eldar warriors and Wyches look, at face value to have been slightly subdued in the new rules. The array of weapons has been toned down (like naughty kids who have had their toys taken off them because they were stringing up and torturing the other kiddies with them). However the majority of the army now inherits the Power from Pain rule. This rule represents the Dark Eldars desire not just to win a battle but to cause as much pain and death as possible along the way, each kill rejuvenating and invigorating every warrior down to his/her very core.

How it works is that for every enemy unit completely wiped out by a Dark Eldar unit, either shooting or assault, that unit gains a pain token. Each pain token has a different effect, and each unit can earn up to three. Without going into too much detail, and ruining the surprise for our hapless opponents, each effect builds on the last, gradually making the units harder to kill, more effective in combat and even harder to break.

What this means is that while the army starts out rather fragile (arguably more fragile than the previous edition) it immediately begins to become deadlier and deadlier as it comes to grips with its enemy. So what you end up with is an opponent scratching his head wondering why, after slaughtering half your army with his rows of disciplined imperial gunfire, the half of your army that’s left is only getting stronger, and killing more efficiently every turn.

End result; Dark Eldar players have an army where subtlety is not only ill advised, its just plain not an option. Get to grips with your opponent fast and your army will thrive in an orgy of blood and pain getting stronger and stronger as the game goes on. However, skulk and hide taking pot shots at your opponent, and your murder loving host will never reach its full potential, and be picked apart by a cunning enemy.

Oh and on another note. HARLEQUINS! YAY!

 

 

The Story

One thing that has every Dark Eldar player happy is the amount of detail in this version of the codex. Previously the Dark Eldar race were very enigmatic, even to the Dark Eldar players fielding them. I like to get stories and really create an army with some character, but my Dark Eldar force suffered greatly in this respect because there just wasn’t much to go on. I ended up settling for a Kabal focused around weapons dealing and smuggling. This meant lots of warriors with plenty of special weapons and no Wyches who shun elaborate weaponry (I never did like them anyway, they are the high school jock’s of Dark Eldar society, all showy and cool).

The codex itself, without the rules and model, makes for a damn good read, and I’ve often caught myself losing an hour pouring over it again when all I wanted to know was the rule for a simple piece of wargear. The artwork too is impressive and again works in nicely for players really looking to make something special with their armies this time around, be it army background, colourful characters, or even paint schemes.

The new look Dark Eldar have a lot more layers to their society, literally. The Scorges are now Dark Eldar who have gained enough money to alter their own bodies, making themselves capable of flight. They act as messengers in Commoragh and instinctively avoid combat (they paid a lot for their new bodies, why would they let them be damaged?). This kind of detail really gives a player something to work on with their army, and is something I intend to take full advantage of in coming articles.

So there it is, the Dark Eldar are back, looking and playing like never before. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I go through building a whole new Dark Eldar army from story, to models, paint job, and eventually conversions. But don’t forget the best part, the battles! All of which is coming up soon.

Watch this space!

(But keep one eye on the shadows mwahahaha………………………..)