So, a lot to take in on the future of Warmachine.
A lot of this stuff is from some early release videos and what not. So here are the first changes mentioned.
Ill add comments in italics text.
What has changed? - [3:50]
- We have rebalanced every model in the game.
Good. PP does this well, nothing like having some armies/models operating under old rules to mess up a game
- Each warcaster has a unique, flavorful spell/ability. Some casters already had, some had to be added.
Excellent. Some casters did feel a bit dry, especially some of the Battlebox ones. I also think that each caster needs that signature effect to stand out. Keen to see how some casters who are a little dull get unique effects.
- Doubled the point scale.
This is a small one, but at low points some models were annoying to point out. The difference between 2 and 3 point solos was a great example.
- Addresses difference between Focus and Fury.
Not sure what this means, I do like that the systems are currently different. I hope these changes keep the flavour.
- New Mechanics:
- Power Up = Warjack are allocated a focus for starting in the caster's battlegroup.
- Upped warjack/warbeast points. 28-30 points now.
Anything that makes jacks more integral to the game and useful is great for me. This is a game about giant robots and beasts, not infantry swarms after all.
- Spirit Bonds: As warbeasts die, Warlocks can gain fury "from the grave"
I don't know how this will work, but this could be a real game changer. As kill the beasts, then kill the warlock was a key strategy against hordes. Curious how this works.
- Games are still similar sized.
Good, game bloat, like what has happened to 40k and other games is awful. Keep it skirmish level where possible.
Why MK III vs MK 2.5?
- "Felt like the right time."
- "MKII got to a point where it was a time to readdress [interactions and power level]."
- "Look at the whole picture."
6 years of MK2 is a long time really. And personally, I was starting to have issues with the game, ever since collosals came out.
What were some lessons from MKII?
- "Punctuated by "setting huge base models free in the wild."
- "Played huge base models conservatively in places. Push them more in places"
Colossals are a nightmare for balance in a skirmish scale game. Too easy to throw the game into skew one way or the other. I hope they address this well.
- Global reset of the rules. Smooth things outs.
- Rework presentation. Organization to (hopefully) make information more accessible.
- Differences in Fury and Focus are addressed (in a meaningful way)
ok, comments above address most of this
PREMEASURING- "It already exists, felt like a loophole."
- No more 'Gotchas'
Premeasuring exists if you are good enough with trig and can measure things using your control area.
All making it permissible openly does is help level the playing field. An excellent inclusion, my experience with Armada shows that pre-measuring can actually add to a game, not distract from it.
No more Fear/Terror
Ok? does this mean they are rolling them into one, or getting rid of the effect all together?
Change with Huge-Base Models [15:00]
- They feel like the monsters of the battlefield like they should.
I'm not sure about this. I know they said they will push them more in big battles and less in smaller ones, but the issue with skew is still a big one for me.
Presentation of Story
- Time-skip! Two-year jump.
- Flash-Point. First installment in a trilogy.
- Story line stuff. Resolutions and new things
Two year jump means that the prediction that the journeymen casters will be full-blown heroes in the story. That's ok for me.
- No favorite character is safe. Plot armor is off!
I simply cannot stand the plot armour of the fiction to date. It kills all tension and suspense when a character is in danger. And I could get a few characters having plot armour, but every single damn one of them? For a world at war, no one seems to have actually been fighting and dying. This is a necessary change, and for me, as important as any rule balance.
New Hordes Faction [Preview - LnL 2017] [29:00]
- Unlike anything they have ever done. "Weird stuff"
- "Things you have never been able to do before."
- Built from the ground-up under MKIII rules.
- "Feels like a complete little ecosystem as a faction, interesting reason for being in existence."
Personally, I want to see the "dragon alliance" as a faction. With each of the different dragons contributing units of their own fashioning and style. I'm unlikely to buy a new faction anyway, but I am intersted to see where they go with this. All I hope is that they don't "jump the shark" and introduce something idiotic like aliens.
CONCLUSION
As said above, looks good, but lets wait and see.
Even more changes are noted here
Nice. They said that the new Conquest is 4 times the cost of a juggernaut, but contributes 4x also. So basically Collosals or Gargantuans will have double the power/cost that they have now.
ReplyDeleteSounds good, they really should have been for epic games only. Seeing them at 35 points was...... kinda silly. And yeah, Darius + 2 stormwalls at 35 points is possible and not the worst list on earth :)
ReplyDeleteI hope battle engines end up a bit more epic as well. A lot of them feel sorta "meh" considering their size and everything.
Premeasuring...
ReplyDeleteSure, if you want each model to take 10 minutes to play.
*sword knight to long gunner, "I'm going to go over there and cut that dude in half to save the general.
*Long gunner, "hold on, that stabby guy is exactly 3.76 feet to your left and the other guy is 5.89 feet on the right, if you went that way you'd come within 1.2 feet of either one of them and they'd stab you, I'd suggest you walk exactly 7.87 feet that way then carefully walk around that guy staying exactly 2.01 feet from him, you can easily handle the last 8.54 feet to the bad guy."
*Long gunner looks at sword knight, who's been stabbed in the chest; then realizes he's the only guy left standing as his entire force was slaughtered while he was busy measuring the whole battlefield.
Bleh! Premeasuring never works well. NEVER.
With a timer at events, premeasuring everything is just using up your time resources. Someone who spends 10 minutes on each model will be out of time after round 1 and unable to act. It really will not be a problem for the competitive scene as it's simply another option to do in your time, the rounds will probably still be the same lenth.
DeleteIn a friendly game, if someone is being this pedantic, talk to them or don't play them again. Be an adult and it should be fine.
My experience with Armada has been fine with premeasuring. Not sure what your experience is
My only concern is PREMEASURING! You allow that and it takes away so much tactics! No premeasuring rewards good eyeballing ranges and math calculations. It also adds a realistic and more tense feel when the range is at its maximum. Probably won't play any more if they easy mode the game by adding premeasuring. Everything else sounds good though.
DeleteHow does it take away from tactics? Tactics aren't about calculating distance to the nearest 1/1Oth of an inch. Pre-measuring adds to tactical depth as far less games will be decided by someones inability to judge a distance exactly using trig/control areas/and sneaky pre measurements, and will instead be resolved by their choice of move at the time..... you know, their tactical choice.
Delete1 failed charge can be the difference in a game. If you really think distance judging is the most important thing in gaming, then we play for very different reasons.
Its only easy mode if one player can pre-measure and the other cannot. And in tourneys, it will all be happening under deathclock or timed turns anyway. So not every move will be measured, just the ones that matter.
As above, i recommend trying Armada, which has pre-measuring. It adds tactical depth rather than subtracting it.
Excited for premeasuring. Will make the game more tactical and reduce arguments.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. I'm writing a skirmish game at the moment, and pre-measuring is being built in to the system from day one. After playing games with it, I think it is a great addition.
DeleteNew faction might be the Orgoth returning to the "mainland". I always liked their "doom from ancient times"-fluff! Would love to see them on the table with a fully developed art concept/aesthetics like hinted in the early books.
ReplyDeleteThey've already stated ornithologist wouldn't be a faction.
DeleteThey stated that they wouldn't have the study or birds as a faction?
Delete