Friday, 30 December 2011

So I have been doing some reading and its a bit depressing before the big painting push...

While I wait for models, paints and all else that this hobby entails to negotiate the holiday post I have been reading the Imperial Guard Codex and some good accompanying reviews of troop types (the best I have found is here but please feel free to correct me). It made me realise that while I have been picturing in my head almost entirely aesthetically the Army I want to create, I hadn't really thought of it in terms of its real purpose, fighting battles. The unfortunate realisation that reading the Codex and peoples thoughts on it has brought me too though is a bit saddening. While no document can be perfect and no system perfectly balanced, it does strike me that some of the options in both troop and vehicle choices and in extra wargear have not been totally well thought through or playtested. I am sure I am covering old ground for many but the real kicker here is there are some great units that, when you do the maths, just aren't worth taking. Call me a bluff old traditionalist but miniature modelling should be about models and tactics, not the best mathematical way to field the Army with the best percentage chance to beat the average enemy. So my excitement about converting Praetorian Ogryns and Storm Troopers has been somewhat diminished as both these troops seem too expensive for what they can actually do. While I don't really want Psykers but it seems foolish not to take a squad. What makes me most angry though is the fact that GW have made the Valkyrie a no brainer choice so you go out and buy 1 or 3. Don't get me wrong its a nice model and I probably will get at least one but it does stink of the corporate GW running the wargaming side of GW which just seems against the spirit of the hobby. Especially when some of the old favourites could perhaps do with a bit of thought and Codex TLC.
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4 comments:

  1. Malkavschilde2 January 2012 at 19:19

    I'd say go for those Storm troopers. Especially if you are going with a predominantly foot based army.

    A squad of 5 that can re-roll on deep strike scatter with a pair of melta-guns can really help stomp a tank and they will earn their points back very quickly.

    If they don't survive the game oh well they will be drawing fire away from your battle line.

    -J

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  2. Buffer3 January 2012 at 18:54

    Storm Troopers are actually a good point. The general consensus seems to be to take veterans in a vendetta, but that vendetta is not cheap and almost certainly becomes prime target for the opponents first turn unless there is another massive armour threat. Ok the vets have the same BS, can take 3 meltas and 10 models for the same price, but they need transport. So now i'm thinking I have 3 elite slots why not take 2 squads of five storm troopers? They then have 4 meltas, can deep strike without transport, the odds say one should turn up turn 2 and its not a big deal but they are better armoured. The meltavets with vendetta would be 230 points, the two storm troopers 210. So I can very much see the argument that you are getting a vendetta for 20 points, but in an infantry only/infantry heavy build, where that vendetta is almost certainly toast turn 1, maybe the Storm Troopers make more sense as their shots are more likely to count??

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  3. Col. Ackland8 January 2012 at 04:33

    Yeahhh... See I disagree. This was all true when this codex edition came out but now not so much. And this is why. As I have been playing since Praetorians were new I can field everything in the codex. When I field one of those 'sub-par' units my opponent has no idea how to deal with them or simply discounts them as any real threat. The effect is that those little ratlings, the organs and the others, are a bit like an ace up the sleeve forcing my opponent to rethink their tactics. And the fact is that 'math' gamers (usually) can't think on their feet when you though them a curve ball.

    For me is about modelling first then gaming second. If you wanna make a cool unit, do it, then work out later how to field it. The point is that a new edition of 40k will come out in a few months. Then it's just a matter of time before the next guard codex. It's great when you are the only person with a nicely painted up 'X' unit, because it was considered sub-par but now is the new must have.

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  4. Buffer8 January 2012 at 16:01

    Thanks col, yea with a bit of reflection I have come to the conclusion that I will field some of the less thought of units such as Storm Troopers and later on Ratlings and Ogryns for those very reasons, that people don't expect it, and that they are fun to model and paint.

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