Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Sorscha2 vs Feora2 - Epic Cylena

The Reckoning proxy playtesting continues! This time, its Victor vs Revelator in a battle to see who is truly shiny and chrome. There were warcasters sitting around watching, but I'm sure they're not nearly as remarkable.

Battle report, post-game thoughts, and model analysis after the break!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Butcher3 With Reckoning Warjacks

One of the more amusing anecdotes that I have heard about Warmachine: Reckoning is that this was supposed to the debut book for Butcher3. He ended up being pushed forward a book in order to get him into the 10th Anniversary box for Warmachine, and Zerkova2 was shuffled back a book to take his original spot.

Aside: if this anecdote is true, it should help to illuminate just how far out PP's development cycle is (something we've always heard about). When you're hoping for what may be in the next book, realize that it is already done, and the devs are like 3 books ahead of us. Oh to have a quick look at what is being tested right now.

Join me after the break for a trip down the rabbit hole, and see how the new Berserker chassis warjacks may bump up Butcher3's (already considerable) game).

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Initial Zerkova2 Thoughts

Thanks to a friend at Lock & Load, I am in possession of a shiny new set models, well in advance of their release date: Obavnik Kommander Zerkova and her Reaver Guard. Join me after the break for a quick review of the models, as well as some early thoughts as to what the hell I plan to do with Zerkova2.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Mercenary Painting Log Finale: Jeanne d'Arc

After what feels like way too long, I am finally finished painted the Pan-O models I so heartily agreed to paint for a friend, in exchange for Nomad models. Join me after the break for some shots of the final model (Pan-O character Jeanne d'Arc), thoughts on the project as a whole, and what is next on the painting docket.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Harkevich vs Feora2 - Pyroclasm

With all the shiny new Warmachine: Reckoning spoilers in hand, my friends and I have been excited to proxy some of those new things on the table and see how they work out. Two of us got a chance to do just that this past week, and the resulting game was a helluva spectacle.

Join me after the break for lists, the battle report proper, and thoughts about all the new models used.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Early Applications of Khador Warjacks In Warmachine: Reckoning

Now that the full rules are out for all the Warmachine: Reckoning models, its time to get to the best part of any new release cycle: the frenzied theorycrafting! The good news is that some of the Reckoning releases were really exciting and may do a lot to re-invigorate old lists and 'casters. The bad news is that, because this release cycle was composed of one warcaster, one colossal, and three warjacks, there isn't quite as much of a shake up as there would be with a new solo or unit. But there are still a lot of possibilities to explore.

I'm still working on my thoughts on Zerkova2, and they're likely to be...voluminous. So look for those in a separate post (or eight). For now, join me after the break for my first theorymachine thoughts on how to use some of the new Khador warjacks.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Thoughts on Khador Releases in Warmachine: Reckoning

Now that we know everything in Warmachine: Reckoning, we arrive at the most important part of any release cycle: assigning arbitrary, untested evaluations to the newest batch of models. Bonus points if you can declare your faction the "winner" or "loser" of the book (both cash out for equal levels vacuous nerd cred, so don't worry which side you end up on).

One of the bigger possible mistakes one can make when evaluating new releases is to commit too early to a concrete impression. That gets even worse in the context of internet discussion, where its often seen as more valuable to be first than well reasoned. Add in the heavy influence of excitement/disappointment that comes with seeing rules for new models (or entirely new concepts you'd never have thought of), and it can be surprisingly easy to draw conclusions that don't hold up long term.

With that in mind, I've tried to let me initial impressions cool a bit before forming semi-final opinions on Khador's newest additions (final opinions require playtesting, which I'm itching to do soon). Join me after the break for the breakdown of Khador's new shinies.

Friday, June 5, 2015

It's Really Real


It's been a long time coming, but it looks like the Grolar will be seeing tabletops around the world soon(ish?)

It's way, way bigger than I thought it would be, and it looks fantastic. Can't wait to get one or two of these painted up and in service!

L&L Hordes: Devastation Spoilers

Lock and Load 2015 has been a bounty of spoilers. Not only did we get the full suite of Warmachine: Reckoning models spoiled for us, but we also got some rules for models from the next Hordes release!

Join me after the break for the rules for Epic Saeryn and Rhyas (as a warlock unit), Epic Kromac, and the Croak Raiders.

Consolidated Warmachine: Reckoning Spoilers

It's that time of year again! The floodgates have opened up, and drenched the neckbearded masses with a deluge of sweet, sweet model rule spoilers.

This was the first set of book spoilers that almost exclusively came in the form of straight up pictures from the book, so everything listed is as accurate as can be (only accounting for the fact that I may have mis-typed something). Also, since everything came through in one big deluge, this looks to be everything, all at once.

Join me after the break for all of the details on the unknown models in Warmachine: Reckoning!

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Lock & Load 2015: Before the Floodgates

Lock and Load 2015 is nigh. Scheduled to officially begin on June 5th, there is also a day of pre-event stuff that goes on for Press Gangers and Privateer Press staff members, so the event sort-of starts tomorrow. Anyone with an eye on going to L&L is either getting ready to go or has already left to get there, and they have a lot to be excited about. By all accounts, L&L is a pretty awesome event to attend.

For those of us stuck on the sidelines, there is still a lot to be excited about: L&L 2015 promises to be a wondrous pinata of information for previously unknown models. Big conventions are almost always a source of some kind of new info (though whether or not there are actual rules to be had varies,) but L&L 2015 is the first time in a long while where so many things have lined up to be revealed at the same time, which makes it especially exciting.

Both sides of the game - Warmachine and Hordes - have things to expect out of L&L 2015:

 - For Warmachine: The pre-release of Warmachine: Reckoning. The book is going to be officially released on June 17, but I've heard it all-but-confirmed that it will be available at L&L this year. At some point, we'll be getting juicy spoilers for all of the unknowns for that book (and there's still quite a bit we don't know concrete information for yet). That is going to be a dizzying amount of information to process - even though each faction is probably only getting 4-5 new entries each, there are still likely 25-30 things in the book - and that should be enough to keep Warmachine players entertained and engaged for awhile.

 - For Hordes: The release of the "Hordes 10th Anniversary Boxed Set". This set is supposed to be similar to the Warmachine 10th Anniversary Boxed Set released last year, which contained Butcher3 on a big 'ol fancy diorama, along with some certificates and other finery. And, of course, the first look at his rules. The Hordes 10th Anniversary Boxed Set is exciting for the same reason that the Warmachine one was: it's a chance to get an early look at a new warlock (from the upcoming Hordes: Devastation expansion).

What makes the Hordes 10th Anniversary Boxed Set particularly exciting is that it is looking more and more likely that it will give us an early peek at several new warlocks. Teaser images and general discussion about the context of the box have revealed that it will be containing three modelsfrom two different factions; that's a helluva lot more exciting than just having one 'caster (a la Butcher3)! Speculation abounds as to what the contents could be - reports have gone back and forth as to how many warlocks will be in the box, with the most recent consensus being "two?" - but there's no denying that there is a ton of excitement built up over the reveal of what's inside. Whatever warlock(s) are revealed, it should give us a very interesting look at what to expect out of Hordes: Devastation.

Related to that is the fact that we'll probably also be seeing rules for a couple of models from that expansion book at L&L. The Gremlin Swarm and Croak Raiders are new models coming in the next Hordes book, and both of those are scheduled to release in July, which means it's likely that they'll be available for early sale at L&L (I've read it "confirmed" in a few places, but I don't know that there's any master list that is a reliable source as to what will be for sale). So that's another set of models that will give us a sneak peak at what to expect for the next Hordes expansion.

Finally, because it is time for them to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Hordes, and because Hordes: Devastation may not be that far off (it's listed as "Fall 2015", and the release event packages are supposedly being made available in August 2015) I wouldn't be surprised to see another (probably short) teaser/stinger trailer to hype up the next set of Hordes releases a bit more. I'm not sure what else there may be to show - the Gargantuans 2.0 trailer actually showed us quite a bit overall - but if PP can add to the hype, I'm sure they will.

Overall, L&L 2015 seems like its going to be a convention that is just lousy with exciting, interesting spoilers on new models. I'll be posting up spoilers as fast as I can find them, and refining them as the days go on and information gets sorted out. There's going to be a lot of information out there (and I expect the bulk of it to come on June 5th, when the event starts in earnest) but I'll keep up with it as best I can.

In the meantime, feel free to join me as a I sit, twitching, awaiting the wonderful moment when information starts to flow out of the con doors.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Mercenary Painting Log: Pan-O Teutonic Knight

After many months of delays, setbacks, distractions, and actual painting, I have finally completed my great work: the last of the models promised to be painted as payment for a shiny new Infinity Nomads force is complete!

Join me after the break for a few shots of the finished model and what I intend to do next with my (now more privately motivated) painting time.