A Fiction in Mantica

Recently, Mantic hosted a writing competition for their fans to help build the blossoming worlds of Kings of War and Warpath. I decided to participate and while I didn't win, I still had fun writing it and exploring a fantasy world mostly open to interpretation.

The following story is about how in the world of Mantica...even the shadows stalk your every move.

If you like Kingdoms of Men or Night Stalkers, check it out!

Kings of War 2v2 Battle Report! Elves and Dwarfs vs Varangur and Night Stalkers!

Ultimate Power Gamer AKA Jerry Paige came down our way to take part in some Master Crafted Game Day action! We took the opportunity to get him on camera and play a team game. In a 2000 point objective based scenario where each player commands 1000 points worth of forces - we pit Good vs. Evil! Elves and Dwarfs take on Varangur and Night Stalkers in a fully painted showcase of Kings of War goodness.

The Rock, Paper, Scissors of Kings of War

You gotta hand it to them...they're on point.

Medieval warfare was often summed up by the tactical application of certain troop types being matched against another. In a very broad sense, a good approach to wargaming with fantasy/medieval units can be applied the same. While we have more fantastical elements in Kings of War (Dragons, Monsters, spellcasters,) the general feeling applies.

Proudly introducing...

Master Crafted Gaming has had an online presence for only a little over a year now. Most of you know Caleb and Kyle as the primary faces to that group but we certainly were not the founding members.

Our small group began as a few friends looking for other wargamers in our area to play with. We know around the world this is a common theme and if you've enjoyed our content we'd like to encourage you to do something similar because for us it has brought us into a cohesive group that enjoys a variety of gaming systems.

The Varangur ride to war!

Night-Stalkers vs. Herd 2500 Points

Check out our latest report! Night-Stalkers and Herd at 2500 points as we prepare to bring our game to Adepticon 2016!

Why there isn't a "best army" in Kings of War

Recently I've been plotting new ideas to help expand what Master Crafted brings to the Kings of War community. This first of which should go live on our YouTube page this coming week. It discusses the role each unit in each size plays within its army faction. This post is a precursor to that to help set up what I will be doing throughout the series.

Coming Soon!

New Night Stalkers take the field!

Just a short while ago Mantic released an expansive ruleset to Kings of War titled Uncharted Empires. This expansion gave us the rules and background for multiple new armies. One in particular caught my eye and lead to a hobby frenzy.

In a matter of one extended weekend I painted up the army of a lifetime.

Fiends

Why I am selling my 40K army and going all in with Kings of War...

Its been a while since I've blogged anything. So let me start by saying this "This will not be a dakka, I hate GW post". It'll be an explanation that I feel I need to share. I'm not getting out of war gaming rather just shifting my focus to another rule set. I have decided to focus on Kings of War. Let me tell you why. It's nothing like that YouTube video where the guy burns his army. Quite the contrary.

I am back to work at a retail management job. I work a lot. A lot. My last job was about 35 hours a week this one is like 55-60. Its brutal but I need to provide and I'm happy to be at work again. So my time is limited. I want to support a system that I feel rewards me as a customer. I want to support a company that cares about my involvement. Selfish? Sure. It's my needs though. I am not asking anyone else to follow my path.

I have decided to support Mantic due to the fact that they do care. Our YouTube channel got a response from Ronnie Renton today. That meant a lot to me. We didn't ask for free stuff but rather feedback. What can we do to help? We wanted to know. He got us in touch with his North American guy and good things will come from that. The Mantic forums are full of guys who want feedback about rules, points, issues and unforeseen scenarios. These guys don't get paid for this but rather due it to improve the game. That's huge, or to quote Trump "That's YUGE!!!" I'm American forgive me and my country for supporting this golden wig wearing sociopath. Moving on...

I decided I will no longer support companies that do not care about my interest in their products. So I will no longer own models or armies that i could possibly buy from that company again. That's all. Managing retail gives me a unique outlook on this. I need to know if a customer is unhappy. I cannot fix it otherwise. I actively ask my customers "what else?" I have to know, the customer who doesn't speak up and walks away you will never get that customer back. As much as the complainers drive me nuts it allows me to avoid the same issues with other customers.

It's not about negativity, rather its about putting my money where my mouth is. If KOW is so great and it is! Check out our YouTube channel to see the smile on my friggin face! I need to support Mantic with model purchases. They do not grow otherwise. Full stop end of story. We can as a community buy them out of rule books day in and day out but that wont get it done. We need to support them and other companies that are engaged with US! The WarMaHordes guys already got this down. We need to follow suit.

My time and money are a big deal to me. This is money I am not spending on my children and time I am not spending with my family. This is weekend trips I am not taking with them This is dinners I am missing due to playing a game. This is part of my life. I need to make sure that the resources I put into this are not wasted on those that do not deserve it. I just feel another British company deserves it and another doesn't. Its not due to wrongs being done to me mind you. GW never set out to hurt me. Never actively tried to sabotage my hobby, never sent me hate email when I had a customer compliant. Mantic has actively engaged me and demanded my feedback. That's why ultimately. If they don't care then that's OK. However my hobby money and time requires that they do care. Not everyone needs that. I do.

So I in the process of selling my Horus Heresy army.  I fully expect the transaction to process today. I'll be using that money to buy Mantic Ogres for my second KOW army. I'm thrilled about this. It's a new beginning for me. I can finally change up our batrps!! No more Herd vs Undead foreva!!! Thank Christ, our fans are like "awesome batreps keep'em coming but umm hey do you guys per chance have anything else you could play army wise?" Our response is always the same positive tone "NO! DONATE OR NO BATREPS FOR YOU!!" We don't actually say that... I think. Thanks for reading see you around the way....

Models or Games?

I find myself in a very interesting spot of my hobby life. Here I am, finally understanding the moniker Games Workshop has always adopted that, they are a model company who happens to make games.

How to conquer your friends objections to Kings of War...

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. 

See you around the way...


Free rules here!!!
http://www.manticgames.com/free-rules.html
http://1drv.ms/1yvlGbQ
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhZLDFOHUXC2MCA6NwYQWr0HF2mSyvEWIlNH4oCtBeQ/htmlview#gid=1243412207
https://manticforum.com/forum

Kings of War and the joy of realizing you are a terrible general...

So I've played 6 games of KOW since I've decided to switch to it. I think I'm 1-3-2 in those games. I know, I know win/loss isn't the be all end of how good you are but it is a good measuring stick. So real quick let me say this, in 6 games all but one was decided in turn 6 or 7. Lastly I had a absolute blast in every game. This speaks to a couple things to me balance and tactics. In short this game is incredibly balanced and I need to learn tactics.

So one of the things I love about movement trays in fantasy war gaming is the tactical aspect of it. The game is won or lost in the movement phase in KOW. No one unit, magic item or spell is gonna get you that win. You have to outplay and out maneuver the other guy (or girl I know, what a sexist thing for me to assume, send complaints to KOWROCKS@YOU'REAWHINEYDOUCHE.COM). So i played my first scenario games and what a huge difference that makes in playing. I have now played pillage, loot and domination. Each one had its own depth that I definitely need more practice in to really master this game. I thought I was below average/decent at fantasy movement. KOW has taught me this, WRONG I sucked!!! My movement game is soft, but I am working on it.

So in my loot scenario game I had a plan. I was going first (which was a huge component of the plan) and I was able to successfully capitalize on my plan. It was close but because the units in KOW were so balanced I won. I stuck to the plan and didn't try to get sexy with harebrained ideas or grand schemes of annihilation. I was able to screen the 3 units I was going to steal the objectives with (2 were successful) and was able to get them off the board to cement my first win. My opponent realized right after turn 1 what the gig was and tried to counter. His army was just a little to slow and I was able to keep the fast guys from getting to my loot thieves. YAY!! I WON!!! It hit me THOUGH, had I gone second my plan would likely not have worked. That was a lighting bolt. I need more games and I have a lot to learn.

My domination game was maybe the most fun I have ever played in any war gaming game PERIOD. It swung back and forth so many times late I just was at a loss as what to do. We ended up with a draw and he had a turn where a unit over its rout limit stuck, due to him rolling snake eyes. A tremendous moment in my life. There is a batrep of this game and it will be up later today. I'll link to it. It was just a blast and this was after I had already played 3 games of KOW and a 3.5 hour game of 40k. I should have been beat but KOW brings out the life in me.

The movement tactics of this game blow me away. So many combo moves, screening options and plans of attack that I am just awestruck. I look forward to the day when I feel I can play this competitively. I bought a model for my fantasy army. I haven't done that in over a year. Let that sink in. I am so excited to play KOW, I am buying shit! Huge day for me. I am already envisioning two tiered scenarios for games that I think would add even that much more strategy and depth to this beautiful game. I am re-reading this and realizing how much of a fanboy rant about the quality of KOW yet I am very OK with that. Mantic and this game deserve the spot in the light they have truly delivered a gift to all of us fantasy wargamers. If you are on the fence get down and come over to here. I swear you won't regret it.

Lastly this community has been lights out awesome. Our YouTube batrep had 1200+ views which is double our average batrep. I cannot say thank you enough to this community. Matt Gilbert from the Rules Committee is awesome over at Mantics Forums. He is pleasant, fast with responses and just a smidgen sarcastic (I think that might be crown rule in the UK though, so he may not have a choice)!
Alessio, the games creator liked my last blog post. That's awesome and if you think differently please shoot me your address so I can crap in your mailbox. Jerk. Dave from the Redstone Rumble reached out to me on dakka with positive words. Check out his tourney this October in you are anywhere near Alabama. I'm blown away buy the lack of nerd rage, table flip, set my army on fire, hate crime rants. So next post will be about about your objections to switching if you are unsure. I will address them fairly and with a lot of foul language. Kidding see you around the way...

Why I'm playing Kings of War and not 8th...

So this will not be a hate filled rant against GW. I say again will not be. Its been about 6 weeks I'd guess since Age of Sigmar rolled out. Let me be the first to say it's a fun game... To play with my 6 & 8 year old sons. It really is, they love it. I like seeing them move models and roll dice all while having a blast. I firmly believe it's going to do well for GW. I know, I know, what am I saying? It appeals to adults with children between 6-13. It is a real winner for selling models. So moving on.