First games of Warhammer Fantasy

So I finally got some of my WFB Slaaneshi Chaos guys assembled, and headed up to All Fun and Games in Apex to play my first two games. I guess technically they weren't my first two games, since my old friend Steve got me to play a game or two before, but that was several years and nearly as many editions of the rules ago, so practically these were two newbie games.

My opponent was a tremendously nice (and patient) guy named Andrew, who went out of his way both to be helpful with my numerous rules questions, but who also lent me five of the Brettonian knights he was using to proxy for his Dark Elf Cold One Knights so that I could proxy my Chaos Knights, who I'd wisely left in a separate box on the countertop when I left.

I didn't really take any notes, or even more than this one picture, but I have to say that I think I'm going to like WFB a lot, and I'm fairly certain I like it (rules-wise at least) more than 40k. Mechanically it seems less fussy, and yet there are more interesting options and things to consider. I also think the mission selection portion of the WFB system is way better than 40k's is. Don't get me wrong, I still like 40k and want to give it a shot again in the near future as well, but WFB really knocked one out of the park in my opinion. I really need to buckle down and get these Chaos guys assembled and painted so I can start on my Dwarfs for the mini-campaign Steve, Britt, and I discussed last fall!

Summer of Slaanesh: WFB Warriors of Chaos build list

500 points

Hero: Sorcerer, Mark of Slaanesh, 'Sword of Might' 110

Core:
Marauders x20, Mark of Slaanesh, flails, full command 130

Chaos Warriors x10, Mark of Slaanesh, shields, full command 200

Chaos Warhounds x10 60

750pts

Special:
Chaos Knights x5, Mark of Slaanesh, full command 260

add Marauders x10 50

remove Warhound unit -60
Remove warhounds -60

Back to the salt mines

Well, the blog and my minis gaming both took a huge nosedive last May. What's the best way to remedy that this spring/summer? Why, biting off way more than I can chew, of course. Here's the project list in rough priority order:

1) AK-47 Republic, in 6mm (minis by GHQ). Minis are here, waiting on bases. Slightly terrified of trying to paint stuff that small; the infantry is roughly grain-of-rice-sized. On the plus side I won't be painting web gear or belt buckles at this scale...

2) Battletech, using the highly superior Quick Strike rules. I'm still waiting on about half of my mechs, which I bought from an increasingly shady looking eBay dealer. Paint job will be simple as I'm rolling with the Fighting Urukhai this summer. My friend Britt is putting together a campaign setting and six of us will be recreating (precreating?) the 3039 War.

3) Flames of War. I have finally started assembling my filthy Nazi bastids, and am eyeballing a valiant workers' Soviet Lend-Lease army. Emchas! Woo!

4) WWI naval gaming. I've got some incredibly cheap (and incredibly tiny) 1/6000th scale minis on the way in from Strange Cargo games in Marathon, FL (one of the few places in South Florida I don't detest). I grabbed enough stuff to do the German East Asia squadron stuff (Coronel and Falklands) as well as the Goeben's run to Constantinople.

And the biggest, most indigestible thing I'm working on?

The Summer of Slaanesh! Lots of 40k and WFB stuff that has been languishing way too long. Most of what I'll be putting together now that the weather is turning is going to be Slaaneshi-themed, viz:

a) WFB Chaos Warriors, all Slaaneshi-aligned, for the Slow-Grow League at All Fun and Games in Cary. What better way to learn the rules than to play other people who already play? Minis inbound. I've been agonizing over the listbuilding stuff as I have no real idea of how this game actually looks on the tabletop.

b) 40k Dark Eldar for the same league, fluffed as being a renegade Cult of Slaanesh (in memoriam of the great old Cult of Slaanesh list from WFB about 2 or 3 editions ago). What's the one thing guaranteed to irk the jaded Dark Eldar establishment? Worship of She-Who-Thirsts! Bulk of the first 500 points are already here, although I forgot to order any transports.

c) 40k Chaos Space Marines, Angels of Ecstasy. I just want to play some Marines damnit!

d) Mordheim Cult of the Possessed: I think the Mordheim gaming at The Game Connection in Knightdale is on hiatus, but it's only like 6 minis and I'll be using the same color schemes as some or all of the Slaaneshi stuff above. Why not?

e) Blood Bowl Chaos team: I'm not certain of the mechanics of my local BB league this summer, as I haven't discussed it with my benevolent commissioner Da'vesh (or is his brother in charge this year?) lately. But whatever store it winds up at, and even if I only get to play a few exhibition games, what better time for a return of the Libertines than in the Summer of Slaanesh?

f) Battlefleet Gothic: Angels of Ecstasy warfleet. 'Nuff said.

Time to stock up on pink paint.

So anyway, since I have various materials shortages for some of these, the current worktable is slapping together 500pts of Angels of Ecstasy. One CSM unit in a Rhino, and a Terminator Sorcerer with a small retinue (yes, I know the retinue rules are gone. shut up). Pics tomorrow; I should have everything bar the Rhino built by then.

BONUS FALL PREDICTIONS:
A Very British Civil War (Fascist Yanks take the Isle of Wight!)
Martian Empires
Revolt on Antares gaming in 15mm
Heavy Gear
hell freezing over, etc

Putting the cart before the horse

This one is more of a reminder for myself than a real blog entry, for which I apologize to my 1.5 current readers (the .5 assumes that Chris Norwood is still in fact reading these from time to time). But in the process of stumping for the 40k CP league, I've run across some other possible minis gamers at Hypermind:

-Two potential Battlefleet Gothic players - Jim, who Britt told me was a BFG player and Brad, who I spoke to at Hypermind this Tuesday, mentioned he used to be a big BFG player and still had his Imperial and Chaos fleets.

-and one potential Warhammer Fantasy Battles gamer, Beth whose last name I can't remember, but who's a semi-regular at boardgame night.

I'm interested in playing both of these systems - although it would be kind of silly to do anything concrete with WFB at the moment, since I think it's all-but-officially been announced they're getting a new core rulebook this summer. But a few pickup games of BFG - which I've long heard being touted as GW's best ruleset next to Blood Bowl - would be a nice little addition.

Still, I guess the main point of this is that there's at least some small current of minis gaming, even among the people at Hypermind who come for the board and card games. I'm considering making up two poster/broadsheets to ask Denise to hang up now - one for the specific CP league stuff, and another, more generic one, about other stuff such as BFG and WFB. If we could get Thursdays to be 'minis night' and get a quarter of the participation that Tuesday's boardgame night gets, I'd be thrilled stupid. Chris, if you are still reading these posts, I'd sure like to get some pointers from you on your efforts promoting and organizing the Tuesday night wingding.