WHFB 8

[wolfgangbrooks]

Wow, just saw the figures for the new boxed set. Most are better than their current counterparts by a long shot.

http://baddice.co.uk/island-of-blood-box-contents-pics/

[Muskie]

Wow 16 pages...  I too have been suckered into thinking about Warhammer Fantasy Battle.  I haven't played in over ten years.  However I do have an old mostly plastic goblin army from 4th edition (the first box set, you know the figs) I've been trying to get it painted and on the field on and off for a while.  The last time I actually played was with Nurgle Daemons as my 40K army has enough to field a small army.

Once again I'm fielding an all Nurgle Daemon army because it is less painting.  I need to paint four models to have 1500 points which seems to be the store game size now in Vancouver.  I will have a block of 39 Plaguebearers with a Herald making them a four rank deep horde.  Unfortunately they changed regeneration, so this is less good than it would have been in 7e.

The big rule I discovered is Steadfast.  Look that one up, basically if you have more ranks than the opponent it doesn't matter if they killed a pile of you, you can take your break test on your full leadership.  This matters a lot for my goblins...

I think high initiative troops are finally being rewarded and combined with high leadership will battle the hordes, that is why it is high elves versus skaven in the box, they are probably the two most extreme armies.  Goblins could possibly outnumber Skaven but usually you don't see pure goblin armies.  I have a unit of 66 spearman well 65 with the Battle Standard Bearer that I painted, well everything but the shields...

Shields are way better, if you have a hand weapon and shield, not a magic hand weapon though, you get a parry save, basically a 6+ unmodifiable save.  This is how I will now field my Ork infantry if (when?) I get around to painting them.  I too am more of a painter collector than a player.  I think the book is huge and has lots of pretty pictures.  I has piles of fluff, but I've always been more of a 40K player, but I agree people try to cram too many models on too small of a table in the States especially.  I think 1500 points on a 6*4 table is about as much as you should go.

Cheers,

[white knight]

Well, that Maelstrom Games 17,5% discount lured me into ordering the rules (and some other bits while I was there... ). I'm mainly getting this for the production values and the eyecandy. Odds are high that they will go unplayed just like my copies of previous editions.

[rob_the_robgoblin]

Actually it's just the army specific ones that are limited. The core magic lores set haven't been tagged as such.

Sorry! I got the idea that they were limited.

They are damned cool regardless, it stops you having to flick through the book all the time! 

[wolfgangbrooks]

I want to get the magic cards. I got just about all the other accessories in the new release except the skull dice. (I'd rather get dice made of actual bone.) I've got no excuse other than I think the stuff is cool and kinda wish other companies would release neat sculpted accessories like that. Laser etched acrylic tokens and rulers with a logo on it don't do much for me.

On another note, I've noticed a couple of strange passages in the rules. One was a mention in the history stuff about a convoy being ambushed by needle toothed seamonsters which might just be a throw away reference except for the inclusion of a special rule for seafaring creatures. Nothing I can think of in the current armies has a use for that. Unless they plan to make Pirates of Sartosa an official mini army again. Coinciding with the release of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie?

Muskie: "I will have a block of 39 Plaguebearers with a Herald making them a four rank deep horde."

I wanna try that. I've got nearly that many buying second hand at HMGS flea-markets. It's kinda weird that the Plaguebearers are the only core demon that hasn't gotten a plastic set yet considering how many people seem to love Nurgle.

[Tacgnol]

Sounds like they're really fleshing out WHFB. Although I haven't played it since 4th edition so for all I know I could be taking this all the wrong way! I've got to say I'm really intrigued by the whole thing.

[rob_the_robgoblin]

On another note, I've noticed a couple of strange passages in the rules. One was a mention in the history stuff about a convoy being ambushed by needle toothed seamonsters which might just be a throw away reference except for the inclusion of a special rule for seafaring creatures. Nothing I can think of in the current armies has a use for that. Unless they plan to make Pirates of Sartosa an official mini army again. Coinciding with the release of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie?

There's all sorts of odd things in there. Mention of Elementals being used by armies in Araby, Celestial Dragon monks in Cathay, there is only one mention of the Chaos Dwarfs and that is one of the armies in the battles section (under forces of chaos for the big game).

[Muskie]

Muskie: "I will have a block of 39 Plaguebearers with a Herald making them a four rank deep horde."

I wanna try that. I've got nearly that many buying second hand at HMGS flea-markets. It's kinda weird that the Plaguebearers are the only core demon that hasn't gotten a plastic set yet considering how many people seem to love Nurgle.

Nurgle got a lot more popular when the latest 40K codex came out and they had Feel No Pain.  Before that it was an acquired taste, now min-maxers and people who lack creativity flock to Plaguemarines.  Plaguebearers have always been fun to paint and I suspect to sculpt, there has always been a lot of them in the back catalogue.  I don't have them all, but I have over 40 now I guess.  Like I said regeneration their bonus ability when the Herald joins got reduced in power as you have to chose between a ward save or regeneration now and they all have a 5+ ward save...

Poisoned Attacks seems pretty good, everything Nurgle seems to get it.  I think if I add to the army I'll do daemonettes and fiends.  I like Beasts of Nurgle again, it is the first time in like a decade they've been decent in either game.  They are 100 points, but they get the "Stomp" rule and if you field six in two ranks the back ones get 3 attacks.  Also under random attacks it says role for each model in the unit, which isn't how I was doing it in 40K when I tried the spawn (Beasts of Nurgle) out when the most recent Chaos Codex came out.

My neighbours are still partying, though a loud argument broke out, it has been a rather strange evening just outside my door.

I've painted lots of nurgle models you can see a few of the plaguebearers here:
http://nurgle.muschamp.ca/assault.html

When I get the last three painted, I'll do up a new movement trey and take a photo for sure.  After about August 25th I'll let you know if they kill anything, I suspect they'll be a popular target and the faster moving Beasts and the Daemon Prince might actually be the offensive force of the army.  Not sure what Nurglings will accomplish they have a lot of rules: Swarm, Scouts, Daemonic etc.

Cheers,

[rob_the_robgoblin]

I always favoured nurgle. Khorne are cheesy, Slaanesh are just wrong and Tzeentch are probably second to Nurgle. I actually see Tzeetch as being the most 'chatoic', with the random nature of 'change'.

The other gods, including Nurgle, I do not see as 'Chaotic'. But I still really like Nurgle and would love to do a nurgle army. However, I want to wait for plastic Plaguebearers!!! 

[Dewbakuk]

Wow, those are some damned good sculpts in the new box! I think my wife would kill me if I started a new Skaven army....

[Alfrik]

The new sculpts pictured on 20mm bases or 25mm bases?

[wolfgangbrooks]

Both armies pretty much exclusively use 20mm bases for infantry.

[mweaver]

The models in the new starter set are very nice indeed.

[Muskie]

They're releasing plastic horrors soon.  They are on the pre-order page.  As for plastic Nurgle guys, I'd like plastic Nurglings or Snotlings...  You could put them on bases, vehicles, standards etc. etc.

I'm not holding out for plastic plaguebearers, but I don't think I'll be buying many more than the 40-45 I have.

If I do more daemons it will be Daemonettes and Fiends of Slaneesh.  I think they would go well with my existing daemon force.  That said I've always been more of a 40K guy so I'll be painting more 40K models than fantasy models in the near future and likely long term as well.

[rob_the_robgoblin]

Well, if they have now done plastics for all the chaos gods, Nurgle must be coming soon.