Greetings One and All!

My name is Dawnlord Ed. I have spent much of my childhood and all of my adult life playing games (when I am not being a husband, a father, or killing terrorists). I will try damn near any game once. But, I have spent the last three years or so teaching and growing the Warmachine and Hordes community as part of the PP Press Gang and Kirby (in his infinite, pink wisdom) has brought me on board to post regularly about Warmahordes. (I also have a graduate degree in profanity so I am sure Kirby will have fun editing my posts and pictures!)

Now, before I get started, I know that this corner of the internet has always been pretty devoted to 40k. And, I know that Warmahordes is very polarizing in the gaming community. Especially in places where 40k is entrenched. In fact, after just mentioning the word “Warmachine,” I know several of you have pretty much made up your minds:

However, before the pitchforks and torches come out, my job is not to convince you that WM/H is good by bashing GW. That is not only counterproductive, but hypocritical as I enjoy my Space Marines as much as the next guy. I’m just here to share my experiences and help 3plusplus become an internet Mecca for the table top gaming community and not just 40k and the occasional other article.

But, make no mistake: I do view my role here as being missionary in nature. I’m not saying you cannot or should not enjoy Warhammer 40k or WHFB. The very opposite is true: I think you should play whatever you enjoy and as often as possible. The thing is, I am certain that once you learn it, you will enjoy Warmachine and Hordes!

So, for my first article to be posted in these hallowed digital halls, I am going to tell you why Warmachine is the game that I always come back to. I understand that I am by no means the first person to do this. In fact, I don’t even think I am the first person to do this on 3plusplus. But I’m going to do it anyway because it bears repeating and it is worth reading again.

Before we get going I am going to warn you that I will be doing a lot of comparing to Warhammer (0f both varieties). There are two reasons for this. Firstly, Warhammer is an experience and a language we all speak. It just makes sense. Secondly, love them or hate them Games Workshop is the 500 pound gorilla in any room where miniatures are being discussed. It goes with the territory. Be advised that much of that comparing will not be favorable. If this offends you, sorry. But, be real: Would you be interested in anything where the person telling you about it says “Ok, this is thing is totally awesome…but roughly equivalent to or not quite as good as the thing you’ve already got”? Probably not. Besides, I’d be a poor representative of the game if I didn’t honestly think it was better. So, let’s please avoid flinging mud simply based on the emotional response to a criticism of a long standing hobby. Believe me, I’ve done it just as long and just as passionately and I’m not here for a civil war.

Ok. ‘Ere we go!!

1.) Warmachine is a competitive game with a tournament-grade rules set. The game is designed to be played in a tournament setting and any tournament you attend will be fairly similar whether you are in Boston or in Budapest.

This cannot be overstated.

It is no secret that GW deliberately got out of the tournament business a long time ago. You can debate the merits of that, but it is still a true statement. The overt consequences of this decision are readily apparent. There is no homogenous tournament scene for 40k. The tournament at the Feast of Blades will be different from the Australian Open. They will both be different from whatever the Limeys do over in Nottingham. And they all will be different from whatever goes down at your FLGS.

This makes the game less accessible to Joe Mini Player because the internet as a source of information is even spottier than usual due to the lack of a true national meta. Furthermore, it promotes factionalism among the player base since many of us cannot even agree what a tournament should look like, much less come together to enjoy one.

“So what, Ed?? I don’t play in tournaments! I just want to roll dice and chill with my friends. I don’t care about no tournament. It doesn’t affect me!” Well, it seems counterintuitive, but it DOES affect you.

The following statement should be tattooed on anyone who wants to design games for a living: If a rule set is good enough for a tournament, it is good enough for a casual game.

We have all had a day at the FLGS where we went to have a good time and move some models around and when we got there, we had to play with That Guy™. You know. The guy who will abuse the system at every turn because the system has no natural defense against abuse.

“But Ed! We all agree that guy is a dog rapist. Besides, I don’t invite that guy to my garage games.” Ok, true. But have you ever nearly lost a friend because he wanted to “try something”? Or had heated arguments over the “obvious” interpretation of the rules because your opponent doesn’t seem to understand how English works? If not, I envy you. But most of us have.

With a loose rule set, all you can do is argue. A tight rule set means you have a game where the rules are unimpeachable and attempts to circumvent them are easily recognizable for what they are. This leads to a much more pleasant experience at the game store and the ability to actually build and participate in the national meta. Because every game is similar and you won’t have to navigate a patchwork of house rules, “interpretations,” and dice offs to even see what you are playing. When a con-winning player posts about his lists and strategies it is accessible and practical even at the lowest levels because it is all the same game!

“But I don’t understand this rule!” Or “Kirby says this works in a way that I disagree with! We’ll still be arguing anyway!” Yeah. Arguments and misunderstandings happen. But that takes us to:

2.) You have a prompt, clear, and infallible rules resource at your fingertips!

People either love or hate the Privateer Press forums, but the absolute gold that is the rules forum cannot be denied. Not only is it frequented by knowledgeable players, but the Infernals are present to provide prompt and infallible clarification when the rules do not make sense. It’s not just a valuable resource for the player, but it also gives the design team a mechanism with which to address issues affecting the game.

The end result is that everybody who plays Warmachine is playing the SAME Warmachine as everyone else. This is sure better than rolling off with your opponent to see who’s right!

3.) There is a corps of players who are compensated by PP to help you.

The Press Gang was a brilliant idea that PP has executed about as well as it is possible to execute. Depending on the size and needs of your area, there is probably at least one player who is empowered by Privateer Press to nurture and grow your local meta. By inserting themselves into this process, PP has provided the resources to your community to build a thriving tournament scene. As a Press Ganger, I have direct access to Will Hungerford (the Privateer Press community manager), PG_Hacksaw (the volunteer who works with the design team to publish the updated Steamroller rules every year), the judges and the Infernals, and the entire Press Gang community. This access arms PG with the knowledge they need to be competent tournament organizers, teachers, and community managers AND ensures that if the PG is douchebag, the company can handle it instead of simply allowing the community to die because a rotten apple poisoned it. Plus, it has the added benefit of getting direct company attention on your local meta if they need it. It is an amazing tool that I am proud to be a part of.

4.) Page 5 is not an attitude, it’s a design philosophy.

Much is made about Warmahorde’s vaunted Page 5: “Play like you’ve got a pair.”

Many people like to think it means “Screw fluff and casual play, I am playing the most cheese-dick thing I can think of and if you don’t like it then ‘Page Five, asshole!’”

This is not true. It DOES mean that a certain no-holds bar playstyle is allowed. But it is NOT a license to be a prick. In fact, it’s not even about your attitude. What it means is that bold, aggressive play wins games, not which models you have on the field. The whole concept of comp scoring in 40k has grown up out of the reality that some models are simply so good that to play them is actively unfun because all you can do is hope for a series of bad rolls. Gameplay cannot help you past a certain point, and that point won’t get you far in the first place. If you want to play a fluffy 40k list because you like a certain character or battle in the fluff, then we have simply accepted that these are not tournament lists. Conversely, there are plenty models that you simply won’t play unless you are looking to win. Look at how polarizing Forge World is.

Warmachine thinks that’s bullshit.

Now, it’s still a game with numbers. Some models are better than others. Some are even laughably superior. But the game is designed to mitigate that as much as possible. The mechanics of play are such that skill and practice matter more than what is on the table. I have won tournaments with Kara Sloan (widely regarded to be a poor warcaster) and I have lost them with Haley2 and Caine2 (widely regarded as two of the most powerful models in the game). Each time was for the same reason: Either I outplayed my opponents or they outplayed me.

THAT is what Page 5 is about. Bring your hardest, best, most bloodthirsty game because your hardest, best, most bloodthristy models cannot win the game for you.

5.) The game is not over until it is over.

Caster kill. It’s a thing and it’s one of the best features of Warmachine. Many 40k veterans do not like it. I have heard said here and in other places sentiments to the effect of “It’s a bullshit mechanic that shortens the game and often allows the player that should have lost to snatch an undeserved victory.” (I paraphrase.)

Apparently, years of being forced to sit through hours of abuse at the uncaring hands of your local variety of powergamer has left some people bitter. I genuinely do not understand why you’d prefer a “rich-get-richer” system in a turn based game. When you have the choice between that or a complex tightrope of risk vs reward in which applying the correct amount of force and presence results in victory, even if you cannot kill off every model on the table, would you not prefer that over hours and hours of kicking your opponent’s army (or having your army kicked) in the proverbial nutsack?

I’m sorry, but if you’d rather spend an afternoon reveling in crushing someone in an unwinnable situation, then that doesn’t make you a great player. It makes you an asshole. Caster kill ensures that fewer games are blowouts because there is usually an out for a good player.

6.) The game is actually, truly balanced. But not like you think.

I touched on this above, but I want to revisit it. It is a game with numbers and some models are better than others. The weeping and gnashing of teeth about Morvhanna2 or any release that players think is a “waste” is evidence of this.

So, when I say the game is balanced, I don’t mean it’s like chess. My pawns are not like yours and my rooks and knights certainly are not. But my faction, on the other hand, is typically just as capable of yours of bringing tournament winning tools to the table. This is why the two-list format is so critical to Warmachine play. In fact, I even recommend players arrive to open play nights with two lists they want to play and stick to them.

This is because hard counters happen. If I want to hone my Stryker2 melee list, then I am going to learn very little from being pummeled by Saeryn. Now, I did just get done saying that play matters more than list. And that is still largely the case. Even in this matchup, I am confident I could defeat a newer player. I am even confident I’d have a game against an intermediate player. But a veteran would likely stomp me (though the constant threat of assassination and an eye towards objectives could pull me through).

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I say the game is balanced, but not like you think. The match IS lopsided, but I am only playing it because I screwed up and dropped a list that shouldn’t be playing against it. Pretty much ANY other Cygnar list would not have the difficulty a melee-heavy Stryker list would and that means I should be playing one of those. Every list isn’t balanced against every other list. In fact, many lists are overwhelmingly stacked against certain other lists. But every FACTION is balanced against the others.

I will take that over any system where the new army is often the best army each and every time.

7.) The game is a tactical puzzle of positioning, probability, and resource management.

“Well, duh, Ed. Of course it is. All miniatures games are. L2P.” No, I am afraid they are not. Games Workshop incorporates elements of these things into 40k and WHFB, certainly. But, and I’m sure this will piss many of you off, 40k and WHFB are dice games. Period. Full stop.

With board spanning ranges, powers/spells, or even movement in some cases, positioning matters, but not overmuch. Failing a charge is the most devastating consequence of positioning and there is often little to be done about it one way or the other. Resource management is virtually non-existent. When to fire combis and how many dice to throw at a Deny are about it. That leaves dice… and the d6 system means wilder swings on each roll. The save system ensures that hot dice (or cold dice) at the right time can have a far more dramatic effect on the course of the game than is healthy. Just today I watched a Soulgrinder absorb a charge from High Elf Dragon Knights and a Prince that should have annihilated him. It changed the whole game. In that same combat, the Prince face tanked a Bloodthirster for far too long while the demon made something like 9 or 10 5++s in a row. There’s no way to account for it because it’s probability gone mad.

Now juxtapose that against Warmachine. The position of each, individual model, even those in units, is what the game is about. With LOS, weapons, facings, and charge ranges being set in stone, every millimeter is critical. The most powerful spell in the game is not Carnage. Or Last Stand. Or even Obliteration. It is Telekinesis. And all it does is move a single model two inches. That’s it. And it wins games.

As for resource management, Focus and Fury will make you or break you. You must understand it, you must know where to put it, and you must know how to manipulate it (both yours and the enemy’s) if you want to succeed.

Finally, probability. Let me be clear: It is still a dice game. That situation with the demons and the elves up above? You better believe I’ve seen it happen in Warmahordes too. And not altogether infrequently, either. But the complete and utter disregard of overpowering probability happens only a couple times in a daylong event and not 3-4 times in the same single melee of one single game. The 2d6 system has a much smoother and predictable curve and the lack of a saving throw (with the exception of a single special rule) means that your ability to inflict wounds is more important than the odds of the enemy saving it. This sounds less complex, but in many ways it’s actually more so, with each attack having greater or lesser emphasis on individual stats or modifiers. Dice spikes happen. In fact they are even planned on in some ways because you actively fish for them at times. But when they happen it usually means my Trencher put a few points on that warjack. It doesn’t mean that grot just killed a couple terminators. And that’s a world of difference.

But, after all the negativity, I want to go to my last point about Warmahordes and it is one that I think will surprise many of you.

8.) The game actually made me enjoy 40k more than I ever had before.

And the reason is because after years and years and thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours I could finally enjoy Warhammer for what it is and not bend over backwards trying to make it into something that is not. I no longer go to events or game nights desperately seeking some edge for matches against new models that I don’t have an answer for. Nor do I torture myself against power lists thinking that I could win if I just played a little harder or little tighter. And I don’t catch myself thinking “I sure hope Jim and his Forge World bullshit isn’t there tonight. I just worked for eight hours, I’m tired, I’m voluntarily not with my loving family, and I can’t handle that kind of douchebaggery right now.”

Instead, I can take my Company of Ultramarines, plop down Cato Sicarius and some Vanguard Vets, and look across the board and say “Wow. That’s a lot of D attacks. Rad. I attempt to seize.”

And that, my friends, is the most liberating part of the whole experience. I get to enjoy TWO games for exactly what they are and have fun with both.

So, please, give Warmachine a shot. It’s complex. It’s hard to get good at. But it’s inexpensive to start. It’s a rewarding experience. And it’s a ton of fun if you like to compete.

Thanks for reading my first article here on 3plusplus. It’s an honor to be a part of the pink machine. I play Retribution of Scyrah and Cygnar with some dabbling in Mercenaries. I have played Protectorate and Minions in the past. Please feel free to comment below on anything you’d like to see me cover about Warmahordes that’s either faction specific or just about the game.

Oh, and just so we’re clear: I am not the comment warrior that AbusePuppy is. He loves wading into arguments and I applaud him. But, I do not care if you feel the entire internet is watching and waiting for you to be contrary. I will eagerly answer questions, field lists critiques, and discuss disagreements that are presented civilly. But if your knee-jerk response to let us all know that you hate Warmachine, then I leave you with this message from the 3plusplus legal department.