tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post8538559603559330885..comments2024-03-25T14:35:22.024-04:00Comments on Rob Hawkins Hobby: Wait, HOW MANY Ghouls Will I Need to Paint?Rob Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-12739865687543912492013-09-23T20:19:42.385-04:002013-09-23T20:19:42.385-04:00I guess the alternative was to publish a new one, ...I guess the alternative was to publish a new one, making the 7th Ed Skaven book only valid for about a year? Either option sucks for Skaven players, but at least this way they're not wasting money too. At least they have a mostly current book; it's not like they're the Wood Elves who basically had *no* book for nearly the entire run of 6th Edition.Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-41019535724460749642013-09-23T16:37:58.814-04:002013-09-23T16:37:58.814-04:00That's insane. A core box army with no book?!?...That's insane. A core box army with no book?!?!?!?Chris Waltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05764502221874442259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-80030775070781996172013-09-23T08:31:13.728-04:002013-09-23T08:31:13.728-04:00You're crazy. :) The current Skaven book with...You're crazy. :) The current Skaven book with the Hellpit Abomination was one of the last 7th edition army books. (I think it was *the* last.) It's got a page with the old army selection rules and everything. Also, it has about 10 pages of errata to bring it in line with 8th.Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-4536901268728491682013-09-23T02:56:03.496-04:002013-09-23T02:56:03.496-04:00The Skaven have an 8th Ed book. They're a star...The Skaven have an 8th Ed book. They're a starter force in Isle of Blood and the book added things like the Hellpit Abomination. Or am I crazy?Chris Waltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05764502221874442259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-29732873107411769162013-09-18T10:47:08.684-04:002013-09-18T10:47:08.684-04:00That's how I originally found your blog, Rob. ...That's how I originally found your blog, Rob. The enormous, fully-painted Vampire Counts army.Terrainosaurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08808319773534507193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-4646032944780939282013-09-18T07:07:16.351-04:002013-09-18T07:07:16.351-04:00Why not do a unit filler using troops instead of b...Why not do a unit filler using troops instead of big scenic elements?<br /> <br />If you "mass-base" a few troops on some 60x60mm or 40x80mm blocks, you can fill the units out quickly without it looking too obvious. So instead of a 60x60mm square of 9 individual troops, you could mass-base say 5 or 6 on the base instead. Plonk a few mass bases into the middle of a unit, and you get the footprint you need for a bigger unit, but have saved yourself a lot of painting. Adding some smaller scenic elements (gravestones and such perhaps?) helps too, as it populates the base but cuts down how many models you need to paint...<br /> <br />Just an idea anyway. ;0)Gilbearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05703649492123610715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-5397520456353546722013-09-18T01:42:58.135-04:002013-09-18T01:42:58.135-04:00I've never really gone in for unit filler, pre...I've never really gone in for unit filler, preferring the mass of troops. With the winged ghouls, I'll need to do something to prop them up so larger scenic bases will likely be necessary.<br /><br />You could still have premeasuring without needing a random charge distances. As for the reliability factor, sure, you can estimate an average of 7 on 2d6 (more for units with Swiftstride), but at the end of the day you still end up with vastly skewed ranges for your potential charge- Anything between 6 and 16 inches for a 4" move unit. (That maximum being *twice* their old charge distance.) <br /><br />Also, the maximum charge range of the average infantry unit is only 3" shorter than the maximum charge range of armored cavalry which sort of devalues the "reach" of cav and chariots. <br /><br />I guess the core thing depends on your local gaming meta. My group have always built fairly balanced armies, and I've done pretty well myself with core-heavy lists. I think my problem stems from the limited core options available and their dirt-cheap costs (some other armies get knights as core). They needed to make a new core option for the VC, so the new elements players will want to buy weren't all Special and Rare choices. Maybe something like human thralls or Sylvanian militia. There were a lot of great choices in the Zombie Pirates and Storm of Chaos lists.<br /><br />Good point about the Master of the Black Arts, I generally overlook that in favor of more Blood Dragon-y powers, but I may have to just dedicate one vampire lord to spell casting if I want a reliable magic phase.Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-8684849419749283412013-09-18T00:06:08.353-04:002013-09-18T00:06:08.353-04:00Nice!Nice!Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-75035203831780409192013-09-17T22:34:53.949-04:002013-09-17T22:34:53.949-04:00Not to brag but here's my whole VC painted arm...Not to brag but here's my whole VC painted army, covering 2'x2': http://www.terrainosaur.com/gallery/viewtopic.php?t=287. 80+ zombies, 100+ skeletons, 30 wolves, etc.Terrainosaurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08808319773534507193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-14841515517477956802013-09-17T22:08:22.908-04:002013-09-17T22:08:22.908-04:00If you're seriously needing to pad out your co...If you're seriously needing to pad out your core section, could you not do something with some diorama-style unit fillers? It might be faster than converting and painting that many individual ghouls, and might help the interest level of the units when you're talking about such masses of troops. I don't know how you feel about unit fillers - just thought I would put that out there. I'm sure you could do some pretty incredible things with dioramas.<br /><br />I seem to be in the minority on the internet in thinking that 8th edition is an improvement (I've been playing since 4th ed). I've blogged about it before, but I disagree with the assertions that tactical movement is destroyed by random charge distances. Obviously the change was to allow everything to be pre-measured, to cut down on disputes about ranges and get rid of the horrible fidgeting to get that 0.1" out of range of the enemy, but I've found once people come to terms with charges being about chance management rather than trying to out-guess each other, nobody has a problem with it.<br /><br />I also think the 25% core thing is far superior to the minimum number of choices where people would field 3 units of 5 Marauder Cav and then focus all their points on the more "exotic" choices. It can be more of a problem with older books, where you feel like you're paying the "core tax" on units you don't really care about. Most improved when their books were replaced, but Vampire Counts didn't really get any better for some reason.<br /><br />As for the power dice, 2 dice is not enough for games of the size you're talking about. For anything over about 4,000 points, you should probably shift things. Try using the Storm of Magic system, which involves 4 power dice with the dispeller getting the total of the 2 highest dice (and a cap of 24 instead of 12). You should also make sure you've got that ability to reroll one of the power dice (Master of the Black Arts), as that will go a long way to ensuring you don't have a wasted turn due to a bad roll.Hoodlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08507134198601519253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-78358150403226017602013-09-17T19:54:20.658-04:002013-09-17T19:54:20.658-04:00All of of the 7th edition army books are totally o...All of of the 7th edition army books are totally out of whack with 8th edition magic. They have extra magic items (I remember taking the Flayed Hauberk and Armor of Silvered Steel for 2 characters with 2+ armor saves before my new book eliminated the Hauberk), bound spells that are over-costed since you now need to spend power dice on them to cast, and items that grant too many extra power or dispel dice.<br /><br />Skaven are the worst culprits because they were at the tail end of 7th. I don't know if they'll even *get* an 8th edition book at this point. They'll probably just skate by into 9th.Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-31838590629826205022013-09-17T19:26:35.469-04:002013-09-17T19:26:35.469-04:00I agree, and seeing how armies like lizardmen (pre...I agree, and seeing how armies like lizardmen (previous to the update) would get an extra power dice per spell was way unbalanced. I usually just planned for 2 awesome magic phases, 2 blah magic phases, and 2 magic phases that amounted to nothing. Then I would just pray to get the 2 awesome phases at the beginning of the game not the end when it's generally too late. My skaven and dwarfs are looking forward to 9th, but my highelves, well, they are doing just fine right now.Stephen Habetshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13975150274268915675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-59259590391733965702013-09-17T19:17:50.230-04:002013-09-17T19:17:50.230-04:00The magic rules this edition are really broken. F...The magic rules this edition are really broken. From the game-winning Transformation of Kadon to the fact that the WOM dice don't scale based on army size. I wouldn't say that I haven't enjoyed playing this edition (bad Warhammer is always better than no Warhammer), but I agree that it's especially hard on VC players since we need magic to make our core troops able to fight. Irresistible Force also being a miscast is weird too. Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-53812843194808024172013-09-17T19:10:41.927-04:002013-09-17T19:10:41.927-04:00I'd still like to be able to build a "leg...I'd still like to be able to build a "legal" army. Personally, I'd have no problem with using the 6th edition core rules with the 8th Edition army books and magic items.<br /><br />Yeah, my zombies are only 3 points each! toe 40 I have are only 120 points. I do need more zombies eventually, but no matter how many I paint, it would hardly make a dent in my Core total. Rob Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081613694027406147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-84812590990369305252013-09-17T18:02:23.210-04:002013-09-17T18:02:23.210-04:00As a fellow vampire player, this edition has reall...As a fellow vampire player, this edition has really been difficult to enjoy. The risk of my general nuking himself if I go for a powerful caster and then everything falling to bits vs lots casters that have to hope they can cast around my opponents magic defences to raise a few zombies really hasn't inspired. This is a shame as there are some great models and ideas in the new hard back book - so my collection grows even if the games aren't as inspiring.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13533686158290173577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172624728496479335.post-79668554630184498182013-09-17T17:03:00.626-04:002013-09-17T17:03:00.626-04:00Why not ignore the restrictions. If it's a fr...Why not ignore the restrictions. If it's a friendly game between mates why not just go at it.?<br /><br />I did chuckle at the 230 block of troops though. My mate one had a similar issue with Goblins. Hundreds of the buggers but not a lot of points. LWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04769460904008281915noreply@blogger.com