Warmachine noob, need help

[MM3791]

Hi guys, I've never played Warmachine before. I went to Privateer Press website to look at some of the armies just to get a feel for some of the different themes ( they seem to resemble popular fantasy genres), but I was surprised to see almost no models on the website. Aside from the codex (or whatever they call'em) and just the basic starter sets. Is this somehow intentional, or are the model ranges limited?  Also what is the average model count for a standard game? My third and final question, does BG have a big Warmachine community?  It seems like the game is now 10 years old, so I was intrigued to see that there are 10 separate armies available including Hordes. Thanks

[hardbap]

Hello and welcome to Warmachine!

When you say that PP has almost no models on their website are you referring to their online store? If so then yes, they don't stock their whole line in the store. PP isn't in the business of resale. You should head to BG to build your army To get a good look at the models for each faction you need to use the Gallery section of their site (on the left side navigation. One link under Warmachine and one link under Hordes).

I don't think there is an average model count for games. Warmachine plays games by point value. 50pts being the level played at tournaments but you can find friendly games at 15, 25, 35 and 50 points.

I have only played at BG a few times (I plan on increasing my visits in the new year) but I have found the community to be great and very welcoming to new players.

[MM3791]

Thanks, yea if I was gonna build an army I'd buy through BG.. I was just trying to browse to get a feel for the different themes (human/undead/elves etc).

Regarding model count, I mean what is average. Like less then 40k? From the very few times I've seen it on table the armies looked smaller. Do some armies generally use more or less then others, like elite vs horde army types?

[hardbap]

I never played 40k but from conversations I've had with people that have and various articles on the interwebs a Warmachine army is much smaller, model count wise, than a 40k army.

I don't think there is an average model count. I suppose you could take some of the tournament lists and run the numbers but I really don't see the value in that number. Some factions, like Cryx, like to run with a lot of cheap infantry models so the model count is very high. Other factions, like Skorne, can play either Warbeast heavy (fewer larger based models) or infantry heavy (more smaller based models).

Are you trying to get the average model count to help you gauge the initial monetary investment?

[MM3791]

Well that's part of it, like how much does a 50 point tourney army usually go for? It seems the cost per kit is similar to GW products. Also I hear the game is very balanced, so I'm mostly going by army theme.

[hardbap]

Well that's part of it, like how much does a 50 point tourney army usually go for?

The only answer I can give is it depends. Playing Mercs is a bigger investment than some of the other factions because it runs infantry heavy.

My advice to you is to check out the faction galleries on the Privateer Press site and find a few factions you like the look of. Then check out BattleCollege.com to see how those factions play and find a style that suites you. Go to the Discount Games, Inc tournaments page and see some of the 50 point lists being played for that faction. You can then price out the popular lists for those factions to see what it could cost you to build a 50 point army.

[Chase]

Mike, hardbap is right on all counts.

The Warmachine / Hordes section of the message boards are pretty dead these days because the community communicates primarily through Facebook groups for each BG location.

The Plainville group can be found here.

The Abington group can be found here.

Right this minute the Plainville community is VERY active.  About 4 months ago Matt Robinson decided he was going to start a "beginners" league... and all of the sudden WMH is one of the more popular game systems we've got.  The game gets played on Monday night (there's currently 5 tables going as I type this), sometimes Tuesday night, sometimes Friday night, and occasionally on Sundays (which are event days).

It's a great time to be getting involved, especially if you plan to play in Plainville.  The community is relatively new to the game, active, and full of good people with good attitudes.  They are starting another Journeyman type league soon after the new year.

The Abington community seems to be taking a bit of a break.  I'm unsure if it's because the community there is mostly comprised of veteran players or if it's due to the school year being in full swing.

[Chase]

Here's a video worth watching, if you haven't already:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxirCgRSzhA

[MM3791]

Thanks Chase, I get that facebook groups are more personal but it gives the appearance that the forums have flat-lined. I always felt that BG had a vibrant Warmahorde community, so this makes more sense. I'll definitely check out the video, I'm just glad I'm not in school anymore haha.

[the_trooper]

Yeah, apparently, having a baby puts a damper on gaming.

As previously mentioned, the models can all be seen on the privateerpress website. They have a section called "gallery" under Warmachine.
http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/gallery/
Their website isn't the most intuitive but is ok when you are used to it.

Picking based on theme is a good idea. I run Cygnar and Mercenaries as my factions.

BG also has the online store worth looking into as they have some crazy deals for each army.

Hardbap has answered your questions pretty well.  One other thing I would add is list building is not as clear cut as some games. As you mentioned, balance is a thing and one list doesn't rule them all.

Using another person's list still requires really knowing it. Which is good for becoming a better player. Dropping the infamous eHaley or Butcher 3 in your first games isn't going to make for super easy games despite what the internet says. Until you really understand their nuances, each caster has a lot to offer. I'm not accusing you of net decking, just giving you some words of caution against getting discouraged early on with what are considered strong lists.

[Ian Mulligan]

Yeah, a lot of Abington players have been pulled away by real life for now; babies, new jobs, grad school, etc. With enough notice, I'm sure an opponent could be found for a demo or whatever.

All of the above is good advice but I really want to emphasize that you will lose a lot in the beginning and things may not look as balanced as you expected. That's normal. The game is pretty fast paced and can generate some huge blow outs you don't see as often in other games. Don't get frustrated, its part of the process of learning the game and happens to everyone.

Also, like with anything, people say all sorts of outrageous things about models/units on the internet. There are a number of units that were dismissed by virtually everybody via conventional wisdom that have become stars. There are a number of "staples" that don't live up to their hype. I believe just about anything released is at the minimum serviceable, so grab what you think rules and don't worry about consensus.

Have fun!