How is your local community accepting the big changes to the Warhammer core rules? For the most part it has revived the interest in Warhammer as far as I can tell. Lots of new players building armies and enjoying the rules, and old players starting new armies or bringing out old armies that maybe weren't competitive in the last edition. Or are they strongly against the new changes and forming their own secret clubs to play 7th edition while hidden away in their basement?! There was a small faction after ETC that had mentioned they wanted to play 7th edition again next year for the ETC, because 8th didn't lend to the same competitive tournament play. Sure I agree that it's harder to have a balanced tournament with the way things are now, but overall I love 8th edition and think it is an improvement for my enjoyment of the game.
I did have one serious objection to the new edition by an opponent this weekend. I was at one of my FLGS's. I was playing multiple games to practice for this coming Saturday's 'Ard Boyz semi final in Toledo, and I was playing an Ogre player who had seem some 8th edition but hadn't played yet. He made his list and didn't mind playing against my 'Ard Boyz list, and we set up playing a normal Battleline scenario at his request. I took my first turn and mostly maneuvered, but things didn't go so well on his first turn. During the charge phase, he charged with his Ogre Bulls against my Clan Rats and chose to Hold. When his Yetis also charged the same unit the Clan Rats chose to Flee! The sequence of declaring all of your charges and reactions, combined with my Clan Rats now fleeing in a safe direction from the center of his Yeti units, and the fact that his Ogres would now fail their charge as well (I bounced through my own rats about 16 inches total) infuriated him. He stopped the game right there, stated he wasn't playing his Ogres anymore, and probably wasn't going to play Warhammer again until they changed the rules. Oooooooooo K.
There are good things and there are bad things about 8th Edition. I'd say there are more good than bad and it is a ton of fun overall. The rule set is here to stay, so unless you are forming your own basement 7th edition club you need to just learn the new ruleset like everybody else and have FUN.
I think if he had gotten them into combat his opinion of 8th would be much different, especially if he tried a two rank unit of Bulls. What is that, like 22 attacks with extra hand weapon and a champion? Oh, and impact hits. Oh, and stomp.
ReplyDeleteDon't you feel bad now? You are personally to blame for some guy sitting at home and pouting about Warhammer, all because you fled. Tsk.
My group is adjusting well, other than the gripe that 'Whoever goes first and gets off with IF wins'.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately we started an Escalation League 2 weeks after the release and everyone sees the flaws in their list and cannot correct them due to the league rules. Once the league is over, we will begin really putting 8th through its paces.
Our FLGS down here in Aus has been really supportive of the 8th Ed rules. I think the great thing about it is we don't have many of those soft sookie players like you've mentioned there - I play Ogres myself and love the new rules btw. The store also very progressively introduced the rules. for example most people still play battleline and we have not yet started using the terrain rules completely. Though we will before the first big tourney
ReplyDeleteSo was the problem here the fact that he didn't understand how charge reactions work in 8th?
ReplyDeleteHe could have taken a Ld test and redirected his charge into another nearby unit with the Bulls if that was possible - same with the Yhetees. Did you explain this to him?
I could see how the above interaction could go south if you didn't try to coach him on how the new rules could be used to both of your advantages.
We talked over the new rules, he didn't like them going into the game and when he realized I fled from the Yetis after already declaring the first Hold reaction he was angry. The flee reaction from the second unit meant I was fleeing to safety, rather than into his Gorger that was behind me (where I would have ran if from the first unit).
ReplyDeleteIt was really a huge overreaction.
No one really played Fantasy in my group but a bunch of us are getting into it with 8th. I hear things like the ETC and the Australian Comp scene (no offense to the Aussies) talking about sticking with 7th or banning all kinds of things from certain units to magic items and even banning the "6" spell from all lores. People need to learn to adjust and change their game. You can't keep on playing the same old line up and move forward.
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