Meister_Kai Starts Warmachine

I haven't written a post here in about a year, I bet most of the authors will be surprised to see someone they didn't even necessarily know was on the writing team write something, but I felt compelled to post this here so here it is:

So, I started playing Warmachine/Hordes a few weeks ago with Retribution and I have to say, I am having more fun than I ever had with 40K. I think the rules are extremely well written without room for much lawyering (this could of course change the longer I play) and I think that while list building is important, it doesn't mean as much as in 40K. My group played Warmachine/Hordes for a bit before I came around to 40K, so many of them are picking their models back up while others still are starting from scratch like I am.

First Crack at a Dark Eldar list take 3: 3 Cracks You're Out!

First of all, it is almost the end of fall semester and I am done with all my projects and finals already, hahahahaha. Ok, on to super serious 40K stuff.

Since we last left off I have been hard at work writing even more 1500 point lists (I had over 20 saved on my laptop for some time) trying to find that elusive balance that is hard as nails to achieve at such a point total. After doing some mathhammer, talking to playtesters and finally doing a bit of testing myself I have come up with a list that I believe combines efficiency with some of the cool new toys available to the Dark Eldar player both new and old.

First Crack at a Dark Eldar List Part Two: The Second Crack

So my first crack at a DE list was posted, and it was ill-received (as it should of been). The comments really helped me to see the flaws within and question which units I wanted to use, as well as what they brought to the list. Having written about 10 more lists and trying things out in my head, I started observing and talking to local playtesters as I began to concoct what I believe to be one of the better lists I have written thus far (which is probably not anything special), so without further adieu here she be:

HQ: 135

Archon w/ Shadow Field, Phantasm Grenade Launcher, Agoniser

Elite: 192

6 Incubi

Raider w/ Shock Prow

First Crack at a Dark Eldar List

Author's Note: It's been quite a while since I've published anything. During this time I have written a bunch of college papers, finished projects, and played 40K. I've won a couple tournaments and with the winnings have started the army I've always wanted to play, Dark Eldar. I'm not going to steal anyone's thunder by doing a review or whatever, just going through some of my thought processes. Also, if I have time I'm going to start a section on Combat Patrol because I think it's awesome.
Also I lost the email with the "Click for more pink" HTML code, could someone do that for me please :) Also tell me what it is lol.

So after taking my dear sweet time reading the undeniably phenomenal Dark Eldar codex cover-to-cover, I sat down and in the course of about 2 hours cranked out an exploratory 1500 pt list, trying for a balanced all comers approach that is fun to play as well as functional.

It is a little skimmer heavy, probably using about as many as I could see myself using (perhaps one more Raider/Ravager max at higher point totals). The reason for this is because I was weened on mech and its proving difficult to really stretch out and focus on a more foot-based army, but I'm sure once I'm more comfortable with the codex I'll be able to wrap my head around things.

List, then tactics of course.

Standardizing Tournaments: Stage Select

So the Nova Open has come and gone. Besides the bad beats from a certain 0-2 vs 0-2 table, there was no real drama, no bad mouthing, no pushing and shoving, and no accusations of cheating. One thing was very certain however; from what I've seen and heard the terrain was quite excellent, terrain sometimes being a huge point of contention in the wargamming community.

Due to terrain certain armies can sometimes lose before the game has begun. A poorly balanced and thought out table can throw giant wrenches in the mechanics that is proper strategy, deployment, and movement before a single model has been laid on the table. While mowing a large stretch of grass and irresponsibly letting my concentration drift, I started to think of a way to mitigate this.

WIP - Kai'Mechian Eldar - In A Playable State!

Meister_Kai here, sorry for the long wait regarding the next peice of "Why I Powergame" (been busy painting Eldar/helping the local game store move to a new location, LOTS of construction needed) but to make up for it here are some pictures of my Kai'Mechian Eldar, complete with fluff that I wrote etc (yes I sort of give a crap lol, I actually think I will order "Path of the Warrior" since I heard it was a decent book).

I have actually fully photographed the first 3 games I have played, one against Necrons where he fudged up his own rules pretty hard as he hardly plays, thus I won on a technicallity. I'll go into it if asked but I'll just say that I put about 60 str 6 shots into 5 Destroyers over 2 turns and killed only two models. Yeah.

Why I "Powergame", The Most Important Questions Part 1

To follow up yesterday's foray into why I do' the way I do', I first propose that everyone reading this blog pull out their girly pocketbook mirrors and ask themselves a simple question:

Question 1: For what reasons am I playing 40K?

This is one (of two) questions that I consider to be the "most important" when considering things such as what army to play, what strategies to use, what kind of lists to write, and most importantly if you should even play at all.

Of course I will use myself for all bases of discussion as I have not yet mastered the art of beating 40K players to a inch of their lives to tell me about their inner-most feelings.

Personally, I play 40K for the competition. The thrill of two well built armies along with two cool-headed generals playing for keeps is everything to me, I don't really dig on playing storybook time adventure all too often (only very occasionally when the mood strikes). I don't like tying one hand around my back so to speak, and the thought of having to take it easy on someone, well, just kills the fun for me. Tournaments were where I belonged in Magic, and continue to be my residence in 40K (as soon as I get to one lol).

If I didn't make it obvious before, I don't believe in "cheese". Hate the game, not the playa. If someone chooses to build the meanest list possible and you lose because you thought it would be cool to take fluffy unit X instead of moar awesome, well thats on you.

Why I "Powergame", an Introduction

First off allow me to introduce myself; I am known as Meister_Kai across the internet in various places and my real name I will not say just because I like making things that much harder for the identity thieves out there. I aspire to become a social studies educator while attending Ball State University which is located in Indiana. My friends tell me in their nasally northern-Indiana accents that I have a very hick southern-Indiana accent and thus I hate the sound of my own voice, too bad I am very talkative and opinionated.

Intro's aside, I would like to base my first ever blog post around something very near and dear to my heart, why people play games the way they do. This has a lot to do with how people define hilariously non-definable things like "fun" and the "spirit of the game" so I won't touch on that, only with what concerns myself.

So lets get to business.