GW: Globalization and Wargaming (hey, that could an acroynym...)

First off: I'm back, sort-of.  Work's been insanely crunched and I've been dealing with some health issues (tore something in my arm playing bass at a show; nothing says "Rock'n'roll" like your arm going numb in the middle of a song).

That said: There's been some interesting developments in the wargaming world since my last post, the juicest of which have come from Games Workshop.  Here's a quick summary:

- Games Workshop asks online retailers in the EU to stop shipping to non-EU customers.

- Games Workshop announces their transition from metal to resin (and a subsequent price increase).

- Games Workshop announces annual price increase.

- Games Workshop allegedly is only going to announcements of new models one weel in advance (not clear if this is one-week in advance of pre-orders or product release).

(all rumors from Dakkadakka.com)

It'd be really easy to go a rant about how terrible GW is etc etc etc.  As someone who's only marginally invested in their games, its hard to get emotional to the point of irrationality.   For me, looking at these new prices and the price trends, the "fun-to-dollar" ratio is such that I'm going to stop buying new models.  That said, this isn't an article about that.

The first bit of information is what really interests me, because I think its quickly going to become a "teachable moment" to other waragaming companies with regard to globalization/non-local markets.

Like a lot of companie, GW is still learning how to do business in a "globalized" world.  They've certainly taken advantage of many of globalization's perks: easy access to low wage labor (they print products in China), low tariffs, and access to a wide number of markets.   Suffice to say: the above have all been "pluses" to GW.

Woo Hoo!

However, much like many other companies, GW is getting stung by globalization as well.  GW-the-manufacturer has to contend with other companies copying their designs and recasting using lower cost (i.e. - lower Asian) labor sans R&D overhead.  Largely, this hasn't been a big issue.  GW-the-retailer has to contend competition via the internet, where consumers have access to markets where prices are lower than they are locally (due to taxes, quicker access to exchange-rate differences, lack of store front overhead, or a combination of the above).  This, clearly, is hurting GWs retail operations in some locales (Australia/New Zealand notably).

D'oh

Which brings us to Monday's announcement.  Unsurprisingly, the reaction from many AU GW consumers has been negative (they're being asked to absorb a ~60% increase in price due to GWs price structure).  To me, this was a poor PR decision for a myriad of reasons:

- Consumers don't generally like price increases on the magnitude of >50%.  Add to this the state of the global economy and GWs good being luxury items; not a great place to be.

- GW feels very comfortable adjusting prices every 6 months to offset their own costs.  They've been very resistent to readjusting exchange rates, particularly when it doesn't favor them (e.g. - in this instance).  That's a morally bankrupt position to take and consumers are going to have a strong negative reaction to their brand.

- Compounding the above is intellectually bankrupt position that GW should be allowed to reap all the benefits of globalization but its consumers shouldn't.

I don't the above is going to cause the downfall of GW (it most certainly won't).  However, I do think its going to be a boon to GW's competitors in the Australian market and cause GW to reevaluate their price structure in the region (I can imagine the resulting sales drop coupled with their data on consumption pre-"embargo" will let them know where to place prices).

I also think its going to signal more frequent price "reallignments" in non-US/non-EU countries by a number of manufacturers.  Its clear consumers are savvy enough to naviagate large exchange-rate discrepencies; why give them a reason to take the extra effort to?

It'll be interesting to see where this issue is at (and where the AU community is at) in 6 months to a 1 year.

Pardon the Interuption....

Sorry for the radio silence this week; work's been off the proverbial chain.

More lulz coming next week.

Dear Fox News/Donald Trump/Birthers/Wing Nuts...

Posting for prosperity.  Proud that we got him; I just hope we can keep the boys we have over the safe in the coming months.

WARMAHORDES: To Tier or Not To Tier...

I initially promised myself I'd stay away from becoming a Warmachine/Hordes (henceforth:Warmahordes) content provider, but.. well, I can't help myself.   I had some questions at a tournament last weekend about Tier lists and whether or not they were competitive/broken/OMGBBQBorken.   The answer is no, yes, and YES... which probably needs some explanation.

First thing's first: Some bona fides.  I'm part of a group who consistently places in the top 3 of local team tournaments (sharing the honor with the NJ SOBs and PA's "Pants-off-Dance-off" squad).  I consistently place in the top 2 (along with my roommate/regular opponent Jarred Robaitille) in local tournaments.  I don't have a Templecon/GenCon/Warmachine Weekend win under my belt, but frankly, bar Templecon, I don't have the interest in outlaying $1000+ to travel to play Warmahordes.

Suffice to say, feel free to argue with anything I put forth, but a "STFU noob; L2P" response isn't going to hold much water.

Hey look, its the BoLS comment section...

(Side note: God, I hate internetz bona fide posturing, because it was feels like a limp attempt at I R BEST chest thumping.  The best way to communicate is on the table, which loses a lot here.  What I'm getting at is: if you're local and want to discuss this, please hit me up on the tabletop and not via the tubez).

Anyhow, back to the meat of the matter...

When Tier list were first dropped ~2 years ago via the Retribution book, I was reasonably dismissive from a competitive stand-point.  Sure, you could do some rude things with Rahn and Garyth, but they were 2D builds that suffered severely from bad match-ups.

As I got more table time with and against Tier lists (and as more were released), my opinion quickly changed.  Mostly because the game shifted from 35 to 50 pts as a standard size as more of Mk II was released and mostly because people were getting the hang of the new mechanics/the local metagame started settling in.

That said, not all Tier lists are over-the-top or, for that matter, especially good.  Some are pretty good and some are downright terrifying.  With 100+ warcasters/warlocks (and the advent of additional Tiers being released via No Quarter), its going to be tough to field test every single list and stress test them with authority.  So, how do you know where to look for signs of an extremely powerful tier list?  Let's take a look at some tier lists that are known to be quite powerful:

eButcher Tier list
eKreoss Tier list
Rahn Tier list
Terminus Tier list
pHoarluk Tier list

What's the unifying thread?  Well, the first three lists allow for FA:U of some powerful specialist troops who normally have a low FA.  All three of these lists also act as force-multipliers for these specialist troops (e.g. - eButcher grants his Doom Reavers extra movement via the feat, eKreoss ensures his melee troops will hit and grants them extra attacks, and Rahn's feat is the bee's knee's for Battle Mages).

The latest internet sensation: LOLRahns

The two of these three lists also help with movement, as does Terminus' list.  Any bonus that grants either Advanced Movement, additional inches of deployment, a SPD bonus on turn 1 (especially for melee troops) or Advanced Deployment for a portion of your army is going to be powerful.  While Terminus lacks the ability to spam a powerful troops type, he does grant his horde of pirates additional speed and Incorporeal the first turn, ensuring that they'll be delivered to the enemy lines while Big T moves in for the kill (or positions to win via scenario).

You're probably wondering about the last list (Hoarluk Tier 4).  This list (along with the eButcher list) grants a reduced cost of a specialist troop.  Moreover, said specialist troops (Runeshapers) are very, very difficult to put down and come with reasonably powerful attacks that synergize well with models included.  Having multiple, cheap units of Runeshapers knocking stuff down and putting up Force Lock against enemy heavies (and having Tough with Steady) can really put a damper on enemy forces.  Its not a list with a subtle kill condition (Mulg), but its efficient.

Ummm... again?

So where does that leave us?  It'd be easy to say "Look for spam", but I don't its as clear cut as that (look at pCaine or pFeora's Tier lists).  Look for combinations that let you:

- Take models that synergize well with the warcaster/warlock and have an expanded or unlimited FA.  A reduction in cost also helps.

- Look for positional or movement bonuses (e.g. - Ashlynn's Tier granting HER AD, the Advanced Move in the eKreoss list).

- Look for spam with a win condition.  Admittedly, a single unit of Doom Reavers is scary.  Seven units at 50 pts with eButcher is unmanageable for almost everyone (bar pHaley or extremely shooting heavy lists).  Spamming utility units without a multiplier that grants them a kill condition isn't going to cut it.

- Ensure you've got necessary support in the army.  If you're a relatively squishy melee assassin and you've feel you need Corbeau, don't mess with Tier lists (Garryth tends to suffer from this).

A special mention needs to made of Mercenary and Minion tiers.  Generally speaking, sometimes the Tier is what makes these models playable (Shae and Arkadius, I'm looking at you!).  Weigh your contract/compact bonuses against the Tier and go for whatever is stronger.  Almost without exception, I'd argue there are no over-the-top tier list in this category, though if you're playing one of these armies its something to consider.

In closing, here's a Tier 4 35 point eKreoss list I won a 10 man tournament with this weekend.  It caught a lot of people off guard and gives you an idea of just how powerful spamming a "weak" unit like Knights Exemplar can be:

eKreoss
- Fire of Salvation
Knights Exemplar
Knights Exemplar
Knights Exemplar
Knights Exemplar Errant (10)
Exemplar Vengers (3)
Errant Seneschal
Knights Exemplar Seneschal (free from Tier bonus)

Tier Bonuses - FA: U Knights Exemplar, Free Seneschal, Advanced Move for Knights Exemplar, +2" to my deployment.

As always, questions and comments are welcome.



LOLWUT? - "Zealous" 40K Commentary on BoK

This week we're skipping A Winner is You and graduating to its more intelligent cousin, LOLWUT?

Blood of Kittens posted this article today in reference to the DERF-fest over in this Bell of Lost Souls post. In brief, someone on BoLS thinks 40K players are trying to hoodwink their opponents by providing army lists sans detailed army rules.  As a counterpoint, Sandwyrm asserts if you're playing in a tournament, you should probably know armywide rules (e.g. - Shadow in the Warp for Tyranids, Descent of Angels for BA, etc) or ask your opponent if you have questions.

Then the BoLS comment section happens.  Basically this:

Ask Haight about Cygnar's Mk I to Mk II transition sometime.  This is what you get.

Here's where Blood of Kittens comes in.  His article touches on a wide breadth of subjects and is well written (I wonder if the Bad Religion picture is in reference to how much he used the thesaurus on this one), but... LOLWUT?

Here's his opener:

What though the BoLS article revealed was something I and others have tried to put our finger on. It wasn’t the WAAC player the author thinks exists to confuse new players. Instead it is a certain querulous segment of the 40k Internet population that has hoisted up the banner of all things “competitive” in a vociferous cry to change the tone about how we talk and play 40k. This change in tone is moving the cynosure of what we know about Warhammer 40k the hobby into Warhammer 40k the sport, based I might add on false gods. You can find innumerable debates about this issue in any dime store blog and forum across cyberspace. The Internet community tries to use it as a wedge, between those who consider just playing the game is enough and those that derive the most fun from having good sporting time. Enjoyment either way (in of itself) is valid, (with me more on the competitive side) but the move towards making 40k look more like a sport is fraught with problems that go beyond simple game mechanics.

The prose is a little dense, so here's what I'm getting out:

1. Internetz arguments frequently occur between "Win at all Costs" competitive types and "Fun with no Thought" fluff types.  Hyperbole occurs because, hey, its internetz.

2. Blogs like to talk about this (notably, both Blood of Kittens and myself.  Lulz.).

3. "WAAC" players are arguing 40K should be more sport-like.  I wasn't getting this from Sandwyrm (he was arguing that players who go to 40K tournaments should know some common rules before entering the tournament), but I've heard the sentiment before.

4. Blood of Kittens thinks Sportshammer is a seriose. problem.  Article ensues.

Or rather, we travel 2 paragraphs and get a second thesis.  Quoting again:

Like the American political version, our punditocracy thinks it is speaking about the true (without proven statistician analysis) motivations and concerns of the general playing public, but since the average player rarely comments our punditocracy is based on some 40k invisible hand maintained on ego fuel and the screams from the echo chamber.

So basically, bloggers are getting it wrong (much like political pundits), but people still listen.  Strange you changed topic mid-rant, but OK.. I agree.

But what, there's more lulz!

RIP Lulz, RIP...

Not only are WAAC players like pundits, they're also a type of religion (Ohhh.. so they're right-wing pundits. Gotcha!).  Two more paragraphs down, we suddenly get:

The punditocracy is also using an interesting dynamic I will call the Seal Pup Defense (religion without a hyperactive superiority complex to do “God’s Work” isn’t worth following) has recently emerged. Often we hear of the high-minded goal of making all players as good as the unproven morality dictates. It is kinda like gay people being sent to Jesus camps to become straight. The more likely truth is the punditocracy is at its best a first among equals– remember a seal pup with a club is still just a seal pup. As well the punditocracy re-educating methods are more likely just a ruse, because without the seal pups to cull they might actually be exposed for the feckless folks deep down the fear they are. So on the one hand the punditocracy protects itself from reproach while on the other hand it is able to effectively throw off any critique without worthwhile insight.

Ummm... OK?  So you think internetz 40K Tough Guys aren't really all that tough.  This is new?

We continue on this thread, but stumble back to sanity in the next paragraph:

Following the words of the punditocracy will lead you inexorably to the words competitive 40k player in one shape of form. It is no wonder that the punditocracy had to separate itself from the dreaded word WAAC it could have easily been associated with. So it created the competitive 40k player to shape its emerging religion– all religions must have a name for God’s chosen. That is what makes the words competitive 40k player so special, like a self-generated nickname the punditocracy gave itself an easily recognizable name to define itself. You never hear someone say they are a Fluffy Bunny or Hobbyist with such pride and consideration as the competitive 40k player. Instead the punditocracy divides and conquers on this axiom often drowning out voices that threaten. The punditocracy is for the most part left unchecked, with the refrain from others being, “it is only the Internet and no one listens to it anyway”. It does matter though because every time a new player walks into my local store having thrown hundreds of dollars into what the punditocracy told them was the only way to win my local community has to deal with it. I have to sit there and uneducated them not because I am against competitive players, but because the Internet gave them all the weapons to fight a war, but never trained them how to use them. Not to mention many new players realize too late they were never that player the punditocracy thought they should be.

Yes, internetz pundits are stupid.  I learned that the second I read battle college/PP's boards/an article on BoLS about Warmachine (sorry Gentle_Ben and relasine; you have great advice for new players but aren't offering us vets much).  Yes, its intellectually sexy to talk about being a winner/tactics because it scratches a nice competitive itch.  Yes, most people who do so, particularly in the 40K crowd, talk a big game with zero to back it up (oh hai, Yes the Truth Hurts!).

4Chan: A Truly Inconvenient Truth.

Honestly, who cares though?  Its fun to bust on people who get inflamed to the point of irrationality (both on the I R COMPETITIVE side and the U R NOT HOBBY BUDDY side), but I don't think either opinion is doing disservice to the game.  People are talking about wargaming, people are thinking about wargaming, and if they get bad advice, they start looking elsewhere for more august commentary (or, God forbid, think for themselves).

I was honestly gonna leave this head-scratcher of an article alone, as it has some interesting nuggets of truth mixed in with its potpourri of crazy. Then came this gem of a comment:

nyhilApril 26, 2011 /

I think there is a Graduate study in Sociology in this article somewhere…

Ummm... LOLWUT?

I R PAINTR - Updates soon!

Doing a quick before'n'after on some metal work using the alcohol based paints; unfortunately the camera's on the fritz so it'll have to wait till Thursday.

Yes, I'm sure all 2 of my reader's care.  In fact, I can see Andrew getting this post and going:

Monday Game Reviews - Dark Age, Expanded

I've had some requests for a follow-up to my review of Dark Age from a few weeks back.  I think I captured a lot of meta information (what type of game Dark Age is, how it relates to other games) but didn't really say much about what Dark Age is about.  So, without further adieu, here's "What Dark Age is about":

Setting

Dark Age is set on a back water world rich in natural resources.  Moreover, many cliche evil corporation like this planet because its secluded from prying eyes.  Military experiments, slavery, chemical weapons development... all sorts of fun stuff is happening on this otherwise unremarkable planet.

Then it all goes bad.

The galaxy experiences the equivalent of the 2008 stock market crash.  As a result, corporations quickly abandon this planet; doing a half-assed job of covering their tracks.  Since life is cheap, many workers are stuck in this back water as ships are filled to the brim with top brass, military secrets, etc etc.  Its in this lovely predicament that Dark Age takes place; in a literal "Dark Age" of a planet (named Samaria by the survivors).

Factions

The Forsaken - Human survivors who take refuge in the major metropolitan areas of Samaria.  Since the crash, survivors have literally re-discovered religion, as the would-be rulers of Samaria quickly find a little hope goes a long way.  With a structure centered around relgious authority and military might, the Prevailers (the heart of organized Christianity) on Samaria quickly gain control of most of the human population.

Unfortunately for the city-bound Prevailers, several warlords on the outskirts of civilization also lust for power.  Starting with a cynical move made by a man named Mark, warlords on the outskirts of society start proclaiming themselves literal reincarnations of biblical Saints.  This presents a problem for the Prevailers; however, they deftly use the Saints to fight to protect and expand their borders on Crusades.  Currently, only 6 Saints are known: John, Mark, Mary, Johann, and Luke.  Saint Matthew existed in times past; but was slain by the Skaard and replaced by Saint Mary.  Speaking of which...

The Skaard - Mutant cannibals inhabitating the desers of the east.  Formerly a group of humans within Forsaken society, the proto-Skaard (called the Baniss) were banished from Forsaken society as they did not adopt religion after "The Crash".

On finding an industrial facility in the wasteland, the survivors bunkered down but were quickly ravaged by the chemicals within the facility (previously a military base researching chemical weapons).  The survivors of these mutagens were fundamentally changed, but physically and mentally.

When Saint Johann was banished from Forsaken society due to his practice of Grafting (adding mechanical enhancements to living beings), he retreated to the desert and joined forces with the Baniss, officially forming the Skaard.

Several clans of Skaard exist, though only the Toxic and Blood Cults are available for play.  These cults have predilictions easy enough to determine by their names, so I won't waste time explaining further.

Dragyri - Aliens on Samaria to mine energy containing crystals.  Originally, the creatures now known as Dragyri were genetically engineered slaves used to mine crystals.  After the crash, the remaining "Leader" aliens were quickly overrun by their slaves and pressed into slavery themselves (lulz).  The new ruling Aliens (called Dragyri by the Forsaken due to their resemblence to biblical dragons) quickly organized their society around hunting an honorable duels (think "Predator culture" from Predator 2).

Dragyri background is currently under a significant overhaul due to the edition reboot, so we'll all find out more when Apocalypse is released.

The Brood - Genetically engineered soldiers in a very early stage of development.  Initial growth in foot soldiers was progressing well, though the "thinking" organism was getting the majority of developments work.  After "The Crash", the scientists involved intended to cart The Brain organism off-world.  Unfortunately, in their haste, they allowed The Brain to slip off their transport and remain on Samaria.

Initially, the brain organism tried tirelessly to improve her soldiers and find a way off world.  However, as the facility she was housed in quickly began to shut down, the brain organism decided to merge with its local environment in an attempt to kill itself.  Unfortunately, it survived but was driven insane in the process.  Now the "Brood Mother" creates abberations by crossing DNA of Samaria flora and fauna.  After a brief encounter with "The Creators" (Saint John's forces), the Brood Mother has decided that humans are weak and must be destroyed.  An admirable goal, really...

Outcasts - Bandits and miscreants who raid Forsaken facilities.  Basically, humans who aren't Forsaken or Skaard.

******

Without getting into specific mechanics, I hope that fleshes out Dark Age for some of you.  If you have any specific questions, hit me up in the comments.