So... not a lot of games lately, which has given me a critical case of writer's block. Partially that's just the post Christmas doldrums, though I have a few I just haven't yet gotten to. Mainly however, I recently lost all of my time and sanity by deciding to try painting up some really nice figures from one of those finicky hobby games. After perusing Games-Workshop's 40k universe for a bit, I found a set of figures I really liked from Privateer Press, the makers of Monsterpocalypse and decided to start up an army for Warmachine. Unfortunately, there's not really much of a hobby gaming scene in my area, so I'm probably far more interested in displaying figures than playing them, but luckily I have a friend with a few figures from the compatible sister game Hordes to run against occasionally.
I've only played a single game thus far using the proxy, print and play rules found on the Privateer Press Website, but I thought a little introduction to the game was in order before introducing the figures I've been working on. Warmachine takes place in a fantasy universe with a heavy steampunk influence. You control a Warcaster, who's a sort of super powerful battle mage who casts spells and most importantly, can control giant mechanical men known as Warjacks. The Warcaster is really the heart and sole of the game, as they are given a limited number of focus points each turn to cast spells, buff their army, or direct their 'jacks to their maximum potential. The degree in which a warcaster affects gameplay is particularly impressive, and one of the most enticing aspects of the game is the fact that simply switching out this single figure will completely change how the rest of your army plays.
Players take turns moving their figures, using special abilities, and attacking. The game is one of those bizarre, tape measure based games where movement and attacks are all literally handled in inches. Historically, this has been a huge turn off for me, but I found one aspect of it in Warmachine I particularly enjoy. Namely, whenever you wish to attack a figure, you have to declare your target before doing any measurements. This really encourages an aggressive playstyle as trying to stick to the edge of your range can often lead to completely wasted shots. There's a bit of uncertainty and judgement that really couldn't be captured through other means. You have to be absolutely certain before charging into combat or you may find your blades swinging in the air inches away from their targets, who will be all to happy to counterattack the next turn.
The goal of the game is to destroy the opposing Warcaster. No matter how well you're doing, you lose if your opponent captures your "king". Warcasters have a limited range in which they can use focus to boost their troops, however, so having them hang back where its safe generally isn't an option. Each warcaster also has a "Feat" which serves as a once per game super move, capable of deciding the match if timed correctly. Our first game ended with my caster seeing an opening, and rather than support her troops, simply used all of her focus to boost herself and take my friend's warcaster in a single assault.
I don't have nearly the experience with the game to comment on how it plays beyond the small array of figures available in the starter kits, but after a look through the complete rules, it appears to be a well thought out, highly engaging game. The rulebook itself clocks in at a massive 255 pages, though to be fair this mostly consists of backstory, fluff, artwork, and advice for painting the figures. However, the real rules still make up 67 pages, dwarfing my previous complaints about the Monsterpocalypse rules. Some of this appears to be an attempt to make the game nearly impossible to rules lawyer, leading to some long winded explanations of extremely simple concepts. Much like Privateer's other game, most of it plays far better than it reads, and there appear to be few instances where the rules appear disconnected from expectations.
Overall, I'm extremely impressed with what Privateer Press has put together; I'm simply disappointed that there isn't the kind of community required for me to get as much out of this game as I'd like. Certainly, its important to remember the "hobby" part of hobby gaming and that much of the draw is bringing color and life to the figures, crafting your own toys, as it were to play. The flip side, of course, is that it requires an intimidating amount of effort to get into. Its a terrible shame the bar for entry to the game is so high, as it would otherwise be an extremely easy recommendation. Heroscape remains one of the best introductions to miniature combat available, but for those willing to give the terrors of painting and rulers a try, I don't think there's a better place to start.
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