Feeling Feral
I'm back from my fishing trip, and barring a little excitement that involved the near-sinking of a boat, I had a good time. I took an extra day to hang around the house and help my wife get caught up with yard work, and then it was back to the grind. Ah, how the shackles of adulthood do chafe...
Anyway, over the long weekend I started thinking about what I wanted to do next. I’ve been paining Warmachine models for the last couple of years, and playing actively since last September, and I think I’m ready to shake things up a little bit. Like a lot of other people right now, I’m feeling the urge to pick up another faction and try something different. I’ve been holding out on getting into Hordes for a long time, mostly because I haven’t been able to decide what faction I wanted to play, but I'm thinking now may be the time. Plus, I need a break from painting Ultramarines blue for a while.
So, what is it going to be? Let’s get the easy decision out of the way first – it won’t be the Legion of Everblight. I already own a bunch of Crxy stuff, and I’ll dig stuff out if I feel the urge to play a dragon-blighted-dirty-tricks-fast-assassination army. While the Legion warbeasts look properly cool, I don’t really feel inspired to paint them, and I strongly dislike the look of most of the nyss models that make up the bulk of the infantry. If I don't feel inspired to paint just by looking at a model, it's probably a bad sign...
Next up, Circle Orboros: I like this faction a lot from a painter’s viewpoint. The models are cool, and there is a huge variety in the range (from Tharn vs. Druids, Constructs vs. beasts, etc.). I like the mobility of the army, and I think they would be my definite choice for a second Hordes army, but right now I’m in the mood to play something really beefy and destructive, which really leaves two options… Trollbloods or Skorne.
The Skorne: From the first time I picked up Primal I liked the look and feel of the Skorne. The titans had me right away – they just didn't look like any of the usual fantasy stuff I had seen before. I dig the samurai-flavored armor and the clean rank-and-file nature of the troops. The Skorne are easily the most “army-like” faction in Hordes, and I like the idea of well-ordered phalanxes of disciplined troops. Their different units all look very similar, and I have to imagine that when they are fully painted and all blocked-up together on the table they would look stunning. In general, they have great armor making them strong defensively, but they also feed off of their own souls, encouraging very aggressive play, which is appealing to me. I’ve been playing a fairly smash-mouth style with my Cygnar lately, and with good success – I’m guessing it would work even better with an army built for it. The downsides: Painting lots of repetitive armor, which is of course loaded with detail. It seems like very technical painting, but not very artistic. I’m also not fond of the heaping amounts of cheese the Skorne received from Metamorphosis. Sure, it made them way more dangerous, but it also pushed them across the line where they are just not fun for opponents to play against. I don't like the cheesy game, and I don't want to play it.
The Trolls: I love me some trolls. I like the look of them, and I like the fluff, and they seem like they would be a lot of fun to paint. The models have a load of personality and a little bit of humor, which I can appreciate. Mechanically, they are tough as nails, which is also pretty appealing, and they have the type of interdependent combined-arms mechanic that I find appealing. They also have some of the largest and most impressive models in the game, which calls out to the painter side of me. While maybe not as disciplined as the Skorne, the Trolls still solve problems the old fashioned way – by caving you skull in – which I can appreciate. Downsides: Unless I do something very different in the color scheme, I’m back to painting blue. On top of that, troll models generally have a relatively low point cost, which means a lot of models, and in turn a lot of painting would be required. Mechanically, they do have a number of abilities that are based on critical hits – combine that with tough rolls, and there is a lot of randomness involved in Troll success. Me, I don’t so much like leaving things to chance.
Not really sure how to decide. I think I could enjoy playing either one, so it comes down to the enjoyment I would get from painting them. For the next few months I expect to get in a lot more painting than playing… I already own a Skorne battle box, which I picked up as one of our local stores liquidated their stuff at ½ off… Maybe I'll just pick up a Trollblood box, paint them both up, and decide which one I enjoy painting more before I sink more money into extra units, etc… I'll keep you posted - feel free to throw in support one way or another.
Anyway, over the long weekend I started thinking about what I wanted to do next. I’ve been paining Warmachine models for the last couple of years, and playing actively since last September, and I think I’m ready to shake things up a little bit. Like a lot of other people right now, I’m feeling the urge to pick up another faction and try something different. I’ve been holding out on getting into Hordes for a long time, mostly because I haven’t been able to decide what faction I wanted to play, but I'm thinking now may be the time. Plus, I need a break from painting Ultramarines blue for a while.
So, what is it going to be? Let’s get the easy decision out of the way first – it won’t be the Legion of Everblight. I already own a bunch of Crxy stuff, and I’ll dig stuff out if I feel the urge to play a dragon-blighted-dirty-tricks-fast-assassination army. While the Legion warbeasts look properly cool, I don’t really feel inspired to paint them, and I strongly dislike the look of most of the nyss models that make up the bulk of the infantry. If I don't feel inspired to paint just by looking at a model, it's probably a bad sign...
Next up, Circle Orboros: I like this faction a lot from a painter’s viewpoint. The models are cool, and there is a huge variety in the range (from Tharn vs. Druids, Constructs vs. beasts, etc.). I like the mobility of the army, and I think they would be my definite choice for a second Hordes army, but right now I’m in the mood to play something really beefy and destructive, which really leaves two options… Trollbloods or Skorne.
The Skorne: From the first time I picked up Primal I liked the look and feel of the Skorne. The titans had me right away – they just didn't look like any of the usual fantasy stuff I had seen before. I dig the samurai-flavored armor and the clean rank-and-file nature of the troops. The Skorne are easily the most “army-like” faction in Hordes, and I like the idea of well-ordered phalanxes of disciplined troops. Their different units all look very similar, and I have to imagine that when they are fully painted and all blocked-up together on the table they would look stunning. In general, they have great armor making them strong defensively, but they also feed off of their own souls, encouraging very aggressive play, which is appealing to me. I’ve been playing a fairly smash-mouth style with my Cygnar lately, and with good success – I’m guessing it would work even better with an army built for it. The downsides: Painting lots of repetitive armor, which is of course loaded with detail. It seems like very technical painting, but not very artistic. I’m also not fond of the heaping amounts of cheese the Skorne received from Metamorphosis. Sure, it made them way more dangerous, but it also pushed them across the line where they are just not fun for opponents to play against. I don't like the cheesy game, and I don't want to play it.
The Trolls: I love me some trolls. I like the look of them, and I like the fluff, and they seem like they would be a lot of fun to paint. The models have a load of personality and a little bit of humor, which I can appreciate. Mechanically, they are tough as nails, which is also pretty appealing, and they have the type of interdependent combined-arms mechanic that I find appealing. They also have some of the largest and most impressive models in the game, which calls out to the painter side of me. While maybe not as disciplined as the Skorne, the Trolls still solve problems the old fashioned way – by caving you skull in – which I can appreciate. Downsides: Unless I do something very different in the color scheme, I’m back to painting blue. On top of that, troll models generally have a relatively low point cost, which means a lot of models, and in turn a lot of painting would be required. Mechanically, they do have a number of abilities that are based on critical hits – combine that with tough rolls, and there is a lot of randomness involved in Troll success. Me, I don’t so much like leaving things to chance.
Not really sure how to decide. I think I could enjoy playing either one, so it comes down to the enjoyment I would get from painting them. For the next few months I expect to get in a lot more painting than playing… I already own a Skorne battle box, which I picked up as one of our local stores liquidated their stuff at ½ off… Maybe I'll just pick up a Trollblood box, paint them both up, and decide which one I enjoy painting more before I sink more money into extra units, etc… I'll keep you posted - feel free to throw in support one way or another.
Labels: Hordes, miniatures, wargaming, Warmachine
Hah. I just replied to your email and now I see you've posted here. :P
Since you think Circle would make a good second faction, I'd have to say Trolls. In terms of painting them, I'd encourage you to come up with an alternate scheme. The studio scheme is quite nice, but that's how most people paint them — except at AAG, where we've got a great variety of palettes.
I think they'd fit the bill for hitting like a Mack truck. They're durable, they can tarpit really well, and as I discovered, they work amazingly well without a warlock.
Then again, I also like the idea of painting up a battle box (I think we're out right now, but that's easily fixed).
So yeah. Trolls. Then Circle. :)
Posted by
ghettokorestudios |
12:04 AM
You're in a similar boat to the one I find myself in now, as I contemplate a Hordes faction.
In the end I've gone with Trolls, but I'm going for a yellow skin look, and pink scarves/titans so I can use them in the Breast Cancer Brawl in October
Posted by
losthemisphere |
4:34 AM
Well I have painted and played both. They are each fun. Alt color schemes are the way to go, they are way fun. From a painting stand point Skorne have a lot of detailed bits, more filigree and recessed areas then Cygnar. From play stand point Skorne titans hit extremely hard. Ask what my elephant list did to Graham's menoth in one turn, or heck I will tell you in person when I catch you, probably at the next tourney. Trolls, well Boba covered it. Do the battlebox painting like you mentioned, if you want some tactics help on either let me know.
Posted by
Kater |
8:40 PM