So I hate that I have to write this article - but I have to. I have to one last time write about my ex-gf and all her bullshit. I hate that...simply because I'm happy now. I'm in a good place war gaming wise. Yet here I am bringing up this "girl" again. Gag... Here is why though.
Too many guys who played WFB are unsure what direction to go. They don't know if they should jump into Kings of War or hold out for the 9th edition pipe dream. So I am going to focus on their potential objections or maybe even your own objections to trying KOW.
1. 9th Age. The fans are taking over finally. It'll be balanced and just like old times. Well, sure... It'll also be almost totally dead and played out in 2 years. It doesn't have a future. I know some will say well Bloodbowl and Epic are still around. Yes they are - yet in 4 years of being actively involved in the scene; I haven't seen one game played. Its a tiny group of folks keeping it alive. Kudos to them. Here is the truth though. NO NEW PLAYERS. Its a dead rule set. It will not attract new players from FLGS or GW stores. Why would they try to sell a dead game. Think about it. Let it go I swear it'll be ok.
2. Magic and magic items are weak. Sure are. It is almost a forgettable phase of the game. Magic items are small boosts to units usually. Nothing game changing really. I want to ask though. Is that a bad thing? Frankly getting a unit purple sun'd off the table due to some hail mary, rim shot, lucky catastrophe pisses me off. You didn't out play me you got lucky. F.U. Also its nice to not see the same net list daemon prince kited out to bear, some death star stupid unit or you know what the god damn Hellheart Banner. F.U. To that to. I prefer it this way. Low magic means I can't rely on a lucky 6 dicing douche nozzle tabling me on turn 4 when I've clearly got him....ok, I need a beer. I'm clearly angry about this is the NORM in WFB. Its sad. I think KOW being low magic is superior. Ask yourself did you like when you dealt with a death star or some chump got lucky with the Dreaded 13th? No brainer here.
3. The fluff is different and my army is something else now. Well in WFB your army fluff is god damn dead so move on. Make up your own if you don't like Mantic's fluff and don't steal from Tolkien and Moorcock... I mean I don't know any company that did that....
4. I can't fight back when it isn't my turn and I want to make armor saves. This is a legit concern to many fellows and i understand it. I do. Keep in mind that mechanic only slows down the turn. Also the other guys doesn't get to do anything either. So it isn't just you. The armor save thing is hard to transition to. I'll be honest but the speed of the game makes up for it to me. I can't play 2-3 games of KOW in the same time you play 1 game of WFB. This is the most legit of the objections to me. Mainly due to the fact that I actually had these exact concerns.
5. I don't like leaving models in trays. I want to see the carnage. Well if this is a concern you have, I can only say one thing. Tell me what you liked about putting 80-150 models back into trays after a 3-4 hour game? Tell me about a time a tourney where your game went late and you were rushing to your next match and all your shit was out of the trays... Oh this is another F.U. Besides if you haven't seen how awesome multi-basing can look you are missing out sir.
6. The armies do not have flavor. This is true they do not have GAME BREAKING BS flavor. Instead they have a well balanced and very well thought out flavor. Its small flavor. You don't always need big flavor for something to be delicious. Ever had sushi, I mean real sushi not rolls! Fish and rice its delish. Nothing over top and it is fantastic. My Herd army plays very similar to my Beastmen. Hits hard, no defense, is all about the chaff and doesn't grind well. I love it, all that and it is balanced to boot.
All of the armies have a perfect amount of flavor. Be it Twilight Kin with vicious ( re roll 1's to wound), ogres with brutal (add 1 to nerve tests) or Undead with Lifeleech (regains wounds lost in battle). They all feel right. They all feel different and ultimately that's what flavor is.
7. I don't want to buy any new books. Fair enough you've been burnt by GW. Good news you don't have to buy shit. Its all free, the rules and army lists. Oddly enough the army lists include points too!!
How awesome is that. Better part of this free rule thing is. They have been doing it for years. They are who GW is responding to with free Sigmar rules. They also have a free army building website.
Kow2.easyarmy.com shit you not. Free. Been free. Always gonna be free.
8. The nerve mechanic. This is an objection but a selling point. Ever charge a unit of skaven slaves with an absolute beat stick unit? You wrack up 32 wounds and get ready to roll that morale check. Guess what? They are steadfast because they still have 3 ranks. F.U. F.U. F.Mother F-ing U. Nerve is amazing. Keep track of wounds roll against the units nerve value. If you busted them up the lower you need to roll to break them. Only double 1's can screw you. That's a 3% chance. I like those odds.
9. I don't want to buy a new army. Good news you don't have to. Mantic has rules for every Warhammer army already. Yes they are still in beta but if you are Brets, Skaven or Beastmen you got new army comp already. You'll never get that from GW. More good news. Mantic has some miniatures and they are wicked affordable. Like 150 bucks American for 1000 points. That's a steal in the miniature world. Tell me if you could get a 2k WFB army for under 300. Seriously if you are buying new not possible.
10. The community. Once again not an objection. What if I told you the Rules Committee was active on forums and DEMANDED feedback. Ok they "ask" but they ask for it alot. It feels demanding dammit!! Not really but wow what a change. They WANT to hear the unbalanced and the silly. They WANT to hear about the undercosted and overpowered. Matt and Dan are like Nazis (except for that whole jew killing, WW2 starting asshole thing). Ok they are nothing like Nazis more like dorks who are passionate about KOW. Is that a better analogy? Furthermore the Mantic forums are not filled with pestilence and venom. They are cordial and supportive. Its a wicked breath of fresh air.
The last one. Its different. I know it is and it sucks what happened. It happened though. We cannot dwell on it. Cannot. Our WFB armies are dead. Our narrative has been murdered. It was done for reasons I understand as a businessman. I really do. However that doesn't mean we have to take it. I haven't. I've let go. Mantic did something for all of us. GW freed us. Mantic is offering us a home.
