Another battle, another insight gained, another point mused.
Despite all that "000h-aaah" over the Black Guards in 8th Ed, I seriously felt that they have not being pulling their weight. ASF + Hatred is deadly against MSUs which crumble against the I6, 2 attacks per model. But the real meat that I want to chew are those infantry blocks.
Step-up rules means that for every 10 basic infantry model I kill, another 10 step into their place and force me to make my own saves. With only a 5+ save, that's not enough. Sad to say, but Black Guards got nerfed a little bit in 8th Ed. Where we used to go I6 ASF on some infantry block and no one strikes back, now we feel the full pain of their strike backs and worse, steadfast rules means they are stubborn if they have more ranks than me. Cheap basic infantry blocks will definitely have more ranks than me.
Does it mean a return to my Hydra/Cok days of old?
I don't think so. My chariots now make their return in lieu of the Hydras, so people are now going to stare at 3 Chariots running around instead of 2 Hydras. Impact hits + T5 + 3+ armour save means they survive longer against those pesky infantry blocks than T3 + 5+ armour save Black Guards. I may not be able to break them on the charge, but I really do get to tie them down.
On the other hand, I have I5 cheap infantry blocks. @7 pts a spearelf, I can field a few of them in. HE may still overpower them since they have ASF (and free Hatred), but against any other army, I have I5 and Hatred.
Possibly 3 blocks of Spearelves (1 to take over from the Black Guards) and it will free some points for a 3rd Chariot on table.
Protecting the Supreme Sorceress will also be another thing to watch out for during battle. She hasn't survived any of the 8th ed battles yet so I need to work on protecting her.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Schools of Thoughts...
Many important philosophies had arisen in ancient China that formed the various schools of thoughts that we know.
They all argued that they have the 'solution' to saving a country, a society, a civilization but we all know that what they cherished may not be as perfect a solution as they proclaimed.
But that doesn't mean that what they preach is useless though, just that I feel that different philosophies have better application in some areas than others. For example,
Legalism focuses on the rule of law, which is good in empowering a country. How a society is to be governed and controlled.
Confucianism focuses on love of people, which is good in guiding one's actions. How one interacts with others to produce a harmonious society.
Taoism focuses on what it means to be, which is good in guiding one's life. How one achieves contentment and happiness amongst the mundane life that we face.
One cannot be the practicer of only one single school of thought.
They all argued that they have the 'solution' to saving a country, a society, a civilization but we all know that what they cherished may not be as perfect a solution as they proclaimed.
But that doesn't mean that what they preach is useless though, just that I feel that different philosophies have better application in some areas than others. For example,
Legalism focuses on the rule of law, which is good in empowering a country. How a society is to be governed and controlled.
Confucianism focuses on love of people, which is good in guiding one's actions. How one interacts with others to produce a harmonious society.
Taoism focuses on what it means to be, which is good in guiding one's life. How one achieves contentment and happiness amongst the mundane life that we face.
One cannot be the practicer of only one single school of thought.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Gaming and Econs
How come it feels like you need a diploma in economics to play certain games?
Cause that's exactly how I felt when playing Paradox Interactive's Victoria 2. Not that it's a bad game, it's actually very fun and interesting. But the way their econs work is not for the faint-hearted.
Usually games ship with this kind of design. Population gives you taxes. The higher your population, the higher the taxes you get. How your people get paid is not of your concern, but they always have money to pay their taxes.
But Victoria 2's system is different. Their population is divided into different class groups. You have farmers, labourers, clerks, craftsmans, bureaucrats, soldiers, officers, clergymen etc.
Farmers get paid when people buy their produce. Labourers, clerks, craftsman get paid when people buy manufactured goods. Soldiers, officers get paid by the government (that is YOU) and their salary is defined by how much you put into the defense budget. Bureaucrats and clergymen are the same, but is defined by the Admin budget and the Education budget seperately.
What does this mean?
If your taxes is low, and your government spending is high, what immediately comes to mind is to reduce the defense/admin/education budget to reduce your spending. But what really happens is that as your soldiers/officers/bureacrats/clergymen get lower salaries.....they pay lower taxes.
So lower spending = lower tax intake. And they get less money to pay for the goods they need from the farmers and labourers. And their tax contributions drop.
Which means I see a downward spiral in my economy once it gets in, and I cannot see how I can turn things around. Other than take massive loans while raking up spending to give people money to spend aka FDR and push the economy up.
Keynes, anyone?
Cause that's exactly how I felt when playing Paradox Interactive's Victoria 2. Not that it's a bad game, it's actually very fun and interesting. But the way their econs work is not for the faint-hearted.
Usually games ship with this kind of design. Population gives you taxes. The higher your population, the higher the taxes you get. How your people get paid is not of your concern, but they always have money to pay their taxes.
But Victoria 2's system is different. Their population is divided into different class groups. You have farmers, labourers, clerks, craftsmans, bureaucrats, soldiers, officers, clergymen etc.
Farmers get paid when people buy their produce. Labourers, clerks, craftsman get paid when people buy manufactured goods. Soldiers, officers get paid by the government (that is YOU) and their salary is defined by how much you put into the defense budget. Bureaucrats and clergymen are the same, but is defined by the Admin budget and the Education budget seperately.
What does this mean?
If your taxes is low, and your government spending is high, what immediately comes to mind is to reduce the defense/admin/education budget to reduce your spending. But what really happens is that as your soldiers/officers/bureacrats/clergymen get lower salaries.....they pay lower taxes.
So lower spending = lower tax intake. And they get less money to pay for the goods they need from the farmers and labourers. And their tax contributions drop.
Which means I see a downward spiral in my economy once it gets in, and I cannot see how I can turn things around. Other than take massive loans while raking up spending to give people money to spend aka FDR and push the economy up.
Keynes, anyone?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Post-first game Thoughts
After the first game of playtesting, I've discovered some new things about my list. Some modification is in order.
With the Str 7 auto-explode rule gone for chariots, I will no longer be griefed by our resident beardy one or a Str 5 model holding a great weapon. Instead, Chariots make a return to the big scene, big time.
Chariots have Swiftstride, which gives them extra range as a charging unit. Impact hits give them a nice edge in combat, although the Step-up rule has reduced its effectiveness. Against MSUs, Chariots can be deadly. What's better than 1 Chariot charging into a unit and dealing impact hits? 2 Chariots.
I've been relooking into the magic schools and alas, I cannot take lore of Beast. Dark Elf is restricted to only, Dark, Fire, Death, Shadow and Metal. With a level 4 DE Sorceress, Fire and Metal seems encouraging. A few spells from Metal seems fun.
The signature spell Searing Doom ensures that any knights facing me starts to shiver in their collective boots. Even chariots with 3+~4+ armour saves start to worry. It's less useful against horde armies, but elite troops beware. With 2D6 wounds on a 20+, even pesky warmachines start to worry.
Plague of Rust reduces armour saves, so it's not supposed to work in tandem with Searing Doom. But it gives my charging units an added edge in combat.
Enchanted Blades is good for me, letting my warmachines or other shooters gain an edge. RBTs on a 3+ to hit anyone? (2+ for short range!)
Glittering Robe gives my units an extra 5+ armour save that can be combined. So my honour guard of spearelves (shielded) has the chance to become 3+ armour save.
Gehenna is less useful but it's a direct damage spell character killer. They get Look-Out Sir for each hit but a series of good rolls and I get to knock at least 2~3 wounds. This spell is especially useful against Characters mounted on a monstrous mount or even a Dragon. They don't have Look Out Sir rolls and even a T7 dragon is wounded on their armour save. Useless against Giants, but there's other weapons in the arsenal to deal with that.
Transmutation of Lead is the other part of the Enchanted Blades, reducing the effectiveness of the opponent's shooters.
Final Transmutation is supposed to be the horde killer. 36" range, every model dies on a 5+, no saves, not even ward saves allowed. That 40-rat Clanrats unit bearing done on me will start to lose some drops in the ocean early early on.
With the Str 7 auto-explode rule gone for chariots, I will no longer be griefed by our resident beardy one or a Str 5 model holding a great weapon. Instead, Chariots make a return to the big scene, big time.
Chariots have Swiftstride, which gives them extra range as a charging unit. Impact hits give them a nice edge in combat, although the Step-up rule has reduced its effectiveness. Against MSUs, Chariots can be deadly. What's better than 1 Chariot charging into a unit and dealing impact hits? 2 Chariots.
I've been relooking into the magic schools and alas, I cannot take lore of Beast. Dark Elf is restricted to only, Dark, Fire, Death, Shadow and Metal. With a level 4 DE Sorceress, Fire and Metal seems encouraging. A few spells from Metal seems fun.
The signature spell Searing Doom ensures that any knights facing me starts to shiver in their collective boots. Even chariots with 3+~4+ armour saves start to worry. It's less useful against horde armies, but elite troops beware. With 2D6 wounds on a 20+, even pesky warmachines start to worry.
Plague of Rust reduces armour saves, so it's not supposed to work in tandem with Searing Doom. But it gives my charging units an added edge in combat.
Enchanted Blades is good for me, letting my warmachines or other shooters gain an edge. RBTs on a 3+ to hit anyone? (2+ for short range!)
Glittering Robe gives my units an extra 5+ armour save that can be combined. So my honour guard of spearelves (shielded) has the chance to become 3+ armour save.
Gehenna is less useful but it's a direct damage spell character killer. They get Look-Out Sir for each hit but a series of good rolls and I get to knock at least 2~3 wounds. This spell is especially useful against Characters mounted on a monstrous mount or even a Dragon. They don't have Look Out Sir rolls and even a T7 dragon is wounded on their armour save. Useless against Giants, but there's other weapons in the arsenal to deal with that.
Transmutation of Lead is the other part of the Enchanted Blades, reducing the effectiveness of the opponent's shooters.
Final Transmutation is supposed to be the horde killer. 36" range, every model dies on a 5+, no saves, not even ward saves allowed. That 40-rat Clanrats unit bearing done on me will start to lose some drops in the ocean early early on.
Friday, September 3, 2010
And the new Army emerges... DE 2250
Now that the real onslaught of the 8th Ed fever is upon us, time to retool a new list.
This is a test list to see how the army works with the new rules.
General
Lvl 4 Supreme Sorceress
Tome of Furion
Sacrifical Dagger
Pendent of Khaeleth
Noble
Armour of Darkness
Crimson Deat
5x Dark Riders w/ RBX x2
10x CrossbowElf w/ Musician x2
30x Shielded SpearElves w/Full Command x2
31x Black Guards w/ Full Command
Banner of Hag Graef
Cold One Chariot
Cold One Chariot
2x RBT
This is a test list to see how the army works with the new rules.
General
Lvl 4 Supreme Sorceress
Tome of Furion
Sacrifical Dagger
Pendent of Khaeleth
Noble
Armour of Darkness
Crimson Deat
5x Dark Riders w/ RBX x2
10x CrossbowElf w/ Musician x2
30x Shielded SpearElves w/Full Command x2
31x Black Guards w/ Full Command
Banner of Hag Graef
Cold One Chariot
Cold One Chariot
2x RBT
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