NQ 40 - After action report

One of the best ways to enhance your abilities as a player is to learn from your mistakes. Even better than learning from your mistakes is learning from someone else's mistakes. This article will cover, in detail, the battle report found in No Quarter #40 between Chris Walton and Will Hungerford. It will be greatly beneficial to have a copy of this magazine on hand for this review.

As a dedicated Circle Orboros player, it is always a little disturbing to read battle reports by Privateer Press staff using Circle Orboros models. The reason is that the people who write the rules for my faction never seem to be able to effectively use those models. The NQ#40 battle report is no exception. Nevertheless, Chris's abysmal performance serves as a great learning opportunity for the rest of us.

Circle Orboros Theme Forces part 3

This is the final installment of my Circle Orboros Theme Force review. Please note that I will be going to once a month updates at the beginning of the year. I need to take some time to work on a book I've been meaning to write and to work on some professional stuff. I'll continue to write about Hordes and will hopefully be able to produce better quality material with the lighter schedule.

Hour of Reckoning Baldur, the Stonesoul

Privateer Press

Baldur is back and he's pissed. This list bears a significant resemblance to primal Baldur's theme force. Like Baldur the Stonecleaver's list, this list focuses heavily on construct warbeasts and an initial burst of speed on turn 1. The main variable here is Baldur himself who has gone from a board control warlock to a sort of denial warlock. This list should enable you to get up-field quickly and then lock into position.

The Trollbloods Explained

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The Trollbloods Explained
(from the perspective of a Druid of Orboros)

The Age of the Molgur
Some 2,800 years ago, the Trollbloods worshipped the Devourer Wurm. They were part of an ancient collection of Devourer worshippers known as the Molgur. The tribes of the Molgur were the enemy of civilized man, raiding his villages, besieging his cities and laying waste to his citizenry.

The Trollbloods did not continue in their devotion to the Devourer. They eventually strayed from these beliefs to worship Dhunia, the embodiment of Caen's fertility. The Trollbloods incorrectly believe that the Devourer ravaged Dhunia, impregnating her with the many races on Caen. The truth is that the two are intricately and fundamentally connected. They represent differing aspects of the same planet.

Circle Orboros Theme Forces - Part 2

LancerAdvanced

Assessing the value of theme forces

Quantifying the value of a single model is difficult in the context of hundreds of other models, multiple factions, and a three dimensional gaming board. Therefore, quantifying the value of an entire theme force is even more difficult. However, I will attempt to provide such an assessment here.

This assessment will be built upon several variables: firstly, it will take into account the overall "theme" of the theme force. Each theme force has its own play style. How much that theme force facilitates its overall theme will be considered.

Circle Orboros Theme Forces - Part 1

Circle Orboros Theme Forces

First Blood

I love theme forces. I've always loved the back story of the Warmachine / Hordes world even more than the rules. I am the type of player who played themed forces before themed forces were cool. For example, I hate using Megalith with Kromac, the Ravenous, even though it's tactically beneficial to do so.

One of the advents of the transition to Warmachine / Hordes Mark 2 was the introduction of theme forces. Theme forces are Warcaster / Warlock specific army lists which confer their own benefits. Players are encouraged to take certain models, to not take other models and to even double up on models. These restrictions allow players to gain certain advantages which can, sometimes, make up for the restrictions.

Tharn Ravagers Tactica

Obsidian Portal

Tharn Ravagers Tactica

Tharn Ravagers are one of two heavy infantry options for Circle Orboros. They are male members of the Tharn race who undergo a transformation into bestial avatars of the Devourer Wurm before entering combat. They have access to minimum and maximum units (4 or 6 models) as well as a unit attachment (the Tharn Ravager Chieftain) and a weapon attachment (the Tharn Ravager Shaman).

Ravagers have several special rules which augment their statistics. Fearless enables them to sustain casualties and stay in combat against Abominations. Pathfinder is a Circle staple ability which enables them to move through rough terrain with ease. Treewalker allows the Ravagers to ignore forests for LOS and to move through models and obstacles while in the forest. Heart Eater allows Ravagers to gain tokens when they kill living models. These tokens can be used similarly to Fury.

A Wilder's Guide to the Circle Battlebox

I've spilled much ink about this topic already in other manuscripts. My writings are my assaults upon the established traditions of other members of our Order. Every stroke of my raven-quill is a sword strike in an eternal campaign against complacency and unfounded bias. In our success we have become lax. This laziness has led us to discard or discount the weapons which are available to us. In the coming days, we will not have the luxury to choose our weapons at will. We will be forced to use those weapons which are readily available. Therefore, it is important that you, the newest members of our order, be well versed in every aspect of our arsenal.

Privateer Press

Battlebox Comparisons

Since the induction of mark 2, there has been a lot of lamentation about Kaya, the Wildborne, and how she was "nerfed". Let's just set that aside now. Mk 2 Kaya is not Mk 1 Kaya. If you expect them to be identical, you will be disappointed. Mk 1 Kaya was broken. This is even more true when you consider what she would have had access to in Mk 2. So let's focus on what we have in her rather than what we don't.

Circle Orboros Explained

Circle Orboros Explained
-or-
Why the baby-stealing, human-sacrificing cannibals are the good guys.

An ancient struggle

Before one understands the nature of the Circle Orboros, they must first understand one of the most fundamental rivalries in Caen. When mankind first appeared on Caen, they found themselves exposed to the many predatory animals, driving cold winds, and the scorching sun. It wasn't until they discovered the True Law of Menoth that they were able to establish civilized societies safe from the indignities of nature.

13 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing Warmachine and Hordes

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13 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing Warmachine / Hordes (WM/H)

I've been playing Privateer Press games for almost two years now (since the end of 2009). In that time, I've come to appreciate what a great thing they've got going. I've been wargaming since 1995 and I've played a lot of games. I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed a game as much as I do Hordes. In fact, I've got Infinity, Flames of War, and Hail Caesar armies waiting to be played. But I can't seem to pull myself away from playing Hordes.

Here are 13 reasons why I think that you should be playing Warmachine or Hordes (or both).