I'm new, help me make a list?

[ProseDragon]

Good day everyone,

I'm not even new to this game yet, I haven't even started. I love the Retribution models and would love to get into this game, but I'm unsure of what to buy. I hate people that do this on other games, but...can I make a list of units I like and would like to buy, and you help me out with how they fit together, which warcaster I should go with, etc? A 35 point list is I believe the standard in my area, so that's what I'd like to start with.

Units I like:
Gorgon
Phoenix
Hydra
Dawnguard Sentinels
Dawnguard Invictors (a lot)
House Shyeel Battlemages
Stormfall Archers
Dawnguard Scyir
House Shyeel Magister
Mage Hunter Assassin
Ghost Sniper
Arcanist
Soulless

The list I had tentatively planned was:

Phoenix
Gorgon
Hydra
Battle Mages
Mage Hunter Assassin
Arcanist
Soulless
Invictors (min.)+UA

Which comes to 41 points, so as long as my warcaster took 6 points off the warjacks I would be at 35 points.

The problem is I know so little about this game and especially how to play Retribution, that I don't even know how to tune that so that it will fit better with one warcaster than another.

I'm not attached to any particular warcaster at the moment, so given my list of units I like, with little to no regard to my list, can someone help me refine my likes into a coherent list? Even just saying "these units would work well with this caster" would be a great place to start. I'm not looking for a tournament competitive list, but one that was effective would be nice.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for any help!

[hausdorff space]

Good day everyone, Howdy,

This is probably going to sound a little harsh but...

A 35 point list is I believe the standard in my area, so that's what I'd like to start with.NO, do not do this.
This game is not 40k.
I'm saying this for your sake not mine.

Have you read the Syvash Stronghold (http://www.privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?t=18978) thread?


If you really must have an army ASAP, then have a look at the warcaster descriptions and pictures in the Gallery (http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/gallery/retribution-of-scyrah/warcasters), and at Dakkadakka (linked to in Sstronghold thread), tell us which one you think sounds the coolest and we can help.

[Adept Rahn]

This is good advice you have been given already.

Pick a caster that compliments your play style and start with small games of 15 points
to get you started and build up from there.

[ProseDragon]

Edit: Thanks for sending me to that link - I really should have looked at that first. Sorry for jumping the gun.

I know this isn't 40k - that's why I picked it up. The transition seems like it'll be rough, so thanks for any comments. I'm thick skinned, don't hold back.

The reason I wanted to start big is because there isn't a real game store where I live - everything I buy I have to order offline. That means either the warstore, or my (frankly, incompetent) LGS, so starting big saves me money on shipping or the frustration of a month wait when I know my game store can get items in within the week, if they remember to order it. Regardless, if you recommend starting at 15 points, I'm inclined to believe you know best. How about this then to start off with:

Rahn
Phoenix
Battle Mages
Mage Hunter Assassin
Magister
Dawnguard Scyir

Will that mix, as a side benefit, show which theme I want to expand up to?

[adantz]

Congratulations to your decision to pick up warmachine, you will have lots of fun.
Not the most experienced Retribution player, but i will share a few of my thoughts.

First I have to say that if it works out better for you to make a larger order go ahead, as long as you plan soundly what to buy. I do however agree that 15pts is the way to start, pretty quickly you can move up to 25 and so on.
I would also advice to pick a caster and stick with him for 5+ games. Try find out how he works with different units/jacks etc. It will take a while to figure out the abilities, spells, and tactics.

As for what to buy, first of I would get 2 or 3 casters that you like. This will give you tons of options to play around with for the remainder of your purchase.
Next I think you should get 2 heavy war jack kits, you can build one into a phoenix, and quite easily magnetize the other as a hydra/manticore. Unless you plan to play very large battles 2 heavy jacks is enough, and this way you can use all 3.

For the light warjacks I think the use of them will be more dependent on caster/army selection. My first Retribution model was a gorgon to try my paint scheme, Im yet to use it. But I did build a arc node from green stuff, so it can be used as a chimera.

The best part of the Retribution force book is the solos and units, and its hard to make a bad choice. I think a sound advice for someone new to the game is to get one melee and one ranged unit. Once you decide on caster you can get better advice.

For the list you provided, looks good but not really sure if the scyir fits in. I think any other solo would serve you better, as he is a jack marshal.

Best of luck

[Chainblast yer face!]

It was really really hard for me to get out of the 40K list building mind set. almost a year in to playing WM I think I've kicked the habit but still have not mastered the art of the WM list. Granted everyone has a different learning curve.

Try and match up a caster that adheres to your play style, then build a list based off that caster/play style. Also try and keep a balanced list, if you have Mages, remember to bring a melee/ranged unit. If your mostly melee, bring a ranged as support...so on and so forth. The days of fielding 4 Tac squads is over, and your game fullfillment will thank you for it. :)

[Adept Rahn]

Rahn
Phoenix
Battle Mages
Mage Hunter Assassin
Magister
Dawnguard Scyir

Will that mix, as a side benefit, show which theme I want to expand up to?

This is not bad at all for your 1st list i would drop the Scyir foe a 2nd
Mage hunter assassin tho apart from that i like it.

The best thing i ever did was stopped playing 40k and changed to Warmachine
infact my entire club has dumped 40k to play Warmachine and hordes
and none of us have ever looked back.
This is the best game system out there and every game is fun and i can honestly
say i have never had a bad or boring game of Warmachine.

[hausdorff space]

Edit: Thanks for sending me to that link - I really should have looked at that first. Sorry for jumping the gun.

I know this isn't 40k - that's why I picked it up. The transition seems like it'll be rough, so thanks for any comments. I'm thick skinned, don't hold back.

The reason I wanted to start big is because there isn't a real game store where I live - everything I buy I have to order offline. That means either the warstore, or my (frankly, incompetent) LGS, so starting big saves me money on shipping or the frustration of a month wait when I know my game store can get items in within the week, if they remember to order it. Regardless, if you recommend starting at 15 points, I'm inclined to believe you know best. How about this then to start off with:

Rahn
Phoenix
Battle Mages
Mage Hunter Assassin
Magister
Dawnguard Scyir

Will that mix, as a side benefit, show which theme I want to expand up to?That is a perfectly fine starting list.
As has been suggested though, you'll probably find the Scyir better replaced by something else.

You can always buy large, just don't play large... as everyone else has said.
If you want to bump up your order I'd focus on solos, they're handy, you'll want/use most of them initially, and they're easy things to swap around in lists while you're starting off.

Things like: Arcanists (you will really want these), Mage Hunter Assassins, Eiryss (epic and normal), Narn, Magisters, Ghost Snipers.
Like jacks like the Chimera and Griffon are also quite good and easily fit into small lists.