Downer's Grove/Chicago, IL Fair Game Warmachine Nights starting soon

[Sycak]

I'll be there tonight around 6-630.

[johnnyspys]

I will be there just a little before 5.

[MarioLopez]

Probably 5:15 or so. My son is coming to watch for a little bit.

[Snipafist]

For those of you that arrive before 6PM: where do you park? I normally show up around 6 and park behind the store in the bank spots, but they're labelled as "if you park in here before 6PM we will seriously tow you, mothaf*cka!" which makes me hesitate to use them and thus arrive before 6.

[MarioLopez]

I just park on the street.

[johnnyspys]

I park on the street...plenty of parking at 5. I come up the side street just north of the store (the one way that goes east) and there is a ton of parking on that street too. I get there before all the bar hoppers. The street south of the store where the steak house is (Forget the name but it starts with an E) also has a ton of parking too and you can walk behind the alley to the store so the walk is easy.

[mostholycerebus]

I park in the bank slots. I figure by the time a truck gets out there it will be past 6 anyway.

Missed thurs because I had a bad head cold. Should make it next week, what size list do people like to play the most?

[johnnyspys]

I like 50 and 75 but that is me....I don't mind 35, that can be fun too. Why do I like 50...I have a ton of models so I like to use them, and I need lots of troops to make up for the frequent mistakes I make.

[Promisedpyre]

Will anyone be at the shop on the 15th? I will be home from college and just got the two-player battle box. I'd love to see how games are played, makes picking up the mechanics easier. I'd also become a regular over the summer.

[Snipafist]

Yeah, we tend to get there on Thursdays. League came to an end this evening (I was home painting - I felt more creative than competitive, and I'm not really in the running to win anything so whatever), so I'm not sure who will be there or not.

[langbenj]

Can't remember his name but could the guy who was maybe interested in the team tournament who plays Khador contact me? I've got an evil idea

[Sycak]

Anyone going to be up here tomorrow night?

[Phreke]

I'm looking to get back into/ learn Warmachine after a bit of a break, so I'm planning to swing by, see if I can get a game or two in.

[warhammerigboy]

I'm looking to get back into/ learn Warmachine after a bit of a break, so I'm planning to swing by, see if I can get a game or two in.

I will be there around 5:30, and I'm sure Nick and Jason are likely to be thereaswell. Should be able to get in a few games.

[johnnyspys]

I will be there around 5:00pm

[Zombied00d]

Gentlemen! Let the 50 point pre Adepticon scuffles commence!

[PG_malfred]

So you're going now? Exciting!

[Snipafist]

I know there are an awful lot of Downers Grove players who got into Khador through the 2-player Khador vs Protectorate battle box. If any of you are interested in selling off the Crusader and/or Vanquisher from the box (I'm full up on Kreoss, Cinerators, and the Repenter, before you ask), please PM me and we'll work out the details. Please don't respond to this post directly in the thread. Thank you.

[Snipafist]

This will be the second week in a row I'm not able to make it - sorry guys! Had an emergency regarding a friend of mine last Thursday and spending some time with the Missus tonight (she's been busy with her ER shifts lately and we haven't seen much of one another). Hopefully I'll be in next week. I heard some murmurings previously about another league of some sort - has anything materialized?

[MarioLopez]

I haven't heard anything about a league. But I would be stoked to play in one.

[MarioLopez]

I'm out tonight, guys. Which is a drag because I wanted to try out some new Circle stuff. I'll see you dudes next week!

[Snipafist]

I continue to be out . My motherboard died over the weekend and my new components just arrived. Next week!

[mostholycerebus]

Pretty low turnout, but we got a few games in. I played the young gentleman with Scorne, but didn't really know enough to help him out. Im gonna have to get Hordes eventually just to understand what's going on.

[MarioLopez]

I was seriously asleep by 7:30 last night. Super bummed I missed out.

[Snipafist]

Pretty low turnout, but we got a few games in. I played the young gentleman with Scorne, but didn't really know enough to help him out. Im gonna have to get Hordes eventually just to understand what's going on.

The REALLY short version is fury works like focus in reverse - beasts in their warlock's control range can GAIN fury points when doing things jacks have to SPEND focus points to do (power attacks, boosts, buying attacks). At the start of the turn, a Warlock can "leach" fury points off beasts in his/her control range to replenish his fury, which he uses to upkeep spells and cast things. Beasts that still have fury left now must take threshold checks to see if they flip out from being pissed off. If they fail, they beat up the nearest thing (friend or foe). Fury does not add to ARM like focus does, but a warlock may spend a fury to transfer all the damage he just took to one of beasts within his control range that isn't maxed out on fury. That beast gains a point of fury and all the damage (roll for spiral the damage goes to).

The repercussions of these differences is that beasts can go absolutely nuts compared to jacks, but warlocks need to play more aggressively than casters because the beasts can only be "forced"(gain fury to do things) while within the warlock's control range when performing the action. In Warmachine, I can load a jack down with focus and send him charging outside my caster's control range and into a fight, where he will spend all his focus and happily beat face. In Hordes, once my beast charges, he'll need to end up inside my warlock's control range if I want him to buy more attacks or boost. This also usually means warlocks activate earlier in their sequence than casters would, which means you sometimes need to dedicate your warlock before it's obvious if a crucial activation has been successful. This can leave warlocks more exposed. If I activate my jack to do a crucial slam and he fluffs it, my caster can activate later and simply give the jack up for dead and go about his business. If I need to activate my warlock first so the beast ends its slam attempt (I want to boost!) in his control range and the beast flubs the slam, my warlock could be in deep trouble.

Compared to warcasters (who overboost their ARM with focus), warlocks are less susceptible to a single punishing hit (they just transfer it to a very sad beast), but can be brought down by several medium-POW attacks that can wear down their fury supply. Warlocks become weaker as they lose beasts (they are losing their source of fury and targets for damage transfers), whereas warcasters become paradoxically stronger as they lose jacks (less recipients for focus = more overboosted power fields). Warlocks also tend to have lower base stats than warcasters.

Beasts also tend to be worse than warjacks - not as durable and usually slightly worse stats. This is made up for by two things:
1) each beast comes with an "animus" - a spell type ability that they can "cast" by gaining fury. The warlock can also cast beast's animi as spells if they're his beasts and inside his control range.
2) the fury mechanic is stronger than the focus mechanic. If I "force" two heavy beasts to charge and then buy two more attacks for each of them, they gain three fury each. My warlock then leeches that fury at the start of his turn and uses it to cast spells and the like. that's effectively 12 focus worth of activities right there.

In general, Hordes tends to be more aggressive than warmachine and the initial attack can seem overwhelming. With all the "free" fury, beasts can absolutely outclass jacks in crucial turns. Warmachine, on the other hand, has more resilience. Warmachine infantry is usually better as well. It's tough to compare the two systems without generalizing an awful lot (as i have done). Arguments abound on whether Hordes/fury or Warmachine/focus are the more overall powerful mechanic/system. I know it's common for a lot of Warmachine players to get fixated on the easy fury Hordes produces and completely overlook Hordes' shortcomings. I advise you not to fall into that trap. Hopefully this has been helpful.

[MarioLopez]

Anyone know if Fair Game stocks that modeling putty stuff? I have a wicked gap on the Gnarlhorn I picked up this weekend that I want to fill before I prime, and Liquid Green Stuff isn't going to cut it.

[Sycak]

Yes, they had a few different size tubes of Gale Force 9 brand green stuff when I was in there a few weeks ago.

[Sycak]

Really want to get up there and play some games soon, been way to long!

Any of the Minooka crew want to get together on a Sunday to play some games, I am just down the road (Ridge). I can host if need be, have a decent table and a bit of terrain. Let me know...

[mostholycerebus]

Dunno how much of a crew we are. I'm in Misty Creek, but have no room, tables, or terrain. I might be free Sunday, gotta see.

Couldn't make it tonite. Did yardwork all day and I'm beat, currently relaxing in the tub.

[Sycak]

Ahhh, I thought there were a few of you guys down this way.

I have plenty of room, 1 table, decent terrain.... Let me know if your ever interested in a game, always looking for a game or two...

-Tony

[Snipafist]

I've caught the respiratory bug that's been going around and am feeling pretty miserable. Barring a miraculous recovery, I'll likely be staying at home so as to not be Patient Zero for all of you other guys tomorrow. It's a shame too, as I should have Reznik, pFeora, pSeverius, and Vindictus all painted by the end of tonight. Ah well.

[PG_malfred]

Will any of you be at Adepticon?

[warhammerigboy]

Quitter
/10char

[mostholycerebus]

I know you arent all outside, because its freezing all of a sudden. I'll give you guys a half hour then I'm heading over to the Humidor for an overpriced cigar.

[MarioLopez]

Sitting in my hotel room down in Disney. I should be back next week!

[johnnyspys]

It's Adepticon weekend...all warmachine people are at the Westin at the moment...or going to sleep like me.

[mostholycerebus]

Well the very young man whose name escapes me showed up. He was just about to crush me in turn 5 when he left pMorghul too close to eSorscha. Bronzeback titan made my Beast feel inadequate.

If you see Sosa cigars down there grab me a handfull, ill get you back.

[Snipafist]

I'm feeling much better, but my cough persists. My not-even-a-year-from-being-a-doctor wife informs me that I am still contagious until the cough subsides. Therefore, I'm going to call it off again tomorrow . I should be fine by next week (I hope! I'm sick of being sick!).

[MarioLopez]

I'm hoping to be in there early for a quick game tomorrow. My wife is out of town and my mom is watching my heir tomorrow evening, so I have to be pick him up earlier than later because it's a school night.

[MarioLopez]

I'm feeling much better, but my cough persists. My not-even-a-year-from-being-a-doctor wife informs me that I am still contagious until the cough subsides. Therefore, I'm going to call it off again tomorrow . I should be fine by next week (I hope! I'm sick of being sick!).

You should totally come play in a gas mask.