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So, I hear that there is a new rulebook or some such hitting in January. I'm intrigued with the thought of:

A.) Something that is made by a games company that involves miniatures, vs a miniature company that involves games

B.) Simpler then 40k without being too simple

C.) Less gak to buy

D.) From a company that is less hostile towards their customers (ex, having more IP lawyers then sculptors and issuing C&D's more often then new mini's).

How many of these things are true about WM? I have never played, know nearly nothing about the game, and am coming in from the ground floor here. Also wondering:

F.) I've played a lot of Mechwarrior Clix/DA/etc. Is it more/less/comparably complex?

G.) How much would it cost to roll a "playable side?

thanks for the input!

A) True
B) Not true - The basic rules may be simpler, but each and every model can do a lot of things and the interactions can become pretty involved.
C) True for a single army, but no-one stops there.
D) Very true
F) MW Clix is a good comparison, the hit vs. defense, damage vs. armor system is essentially the same even down to 3d6 being the most common number of dice rolled. The focus mechanic is also very similar to the push/order system of MW Clix. There's probably a little more going on in the average WM/H game though, just more special abilities - spells, power attacks.
G) The game sizes scale of course, but the most common seems to be 50pts, which would be roughly equivalent to a caster, 2 heavy jacks, 2 light jacks, 2 infantry units, smattering of solos.
Rough estimates here, you can of course get cheaper or more expensive depending on which particular models you pick. The cost is typically dependent on the weight of the model, not the effectiveness.
Caster $10
2 Heavy jacks $30 each ($60)
2 light jacks $15 each ($30)
2 units $40 each ($80)
Solos are usually $7-$12, lets say 3 of them. ($30)
$210 total?

Bear in mind if you jump into a 50pt game to start, it's going to blow your mind and you'll probably quit in frustration. It's best to start with a caster and a few jacks - play some low point games until you really get the hang of it. Then branch upwards.

Good luck to you. I wish I could rediscover Warmachine, good times.

Thanks for the advice.

What book should I pick up to start? They have a WM2K or something, right? Is there the equivalent of AOBR?

Don't by any books yet. The MK2 Prime book will be out in january, along with the faction decks that contain stat-cards for every model released so far.

As for the MK2 rules, Privateer Press has released the core rules and stats in PDF format on their homepage. You can find them here.

I disagree about 50 pts being the standard size. Most people seem to be playing 35 pts. games, with 50 pts. occasionally. I'd suggest starting out with some battlebox or 15 pts. games without units to get used to the mechanics, but you can of course jump off the deep end from the get go if you want to

EDIT: There is not a starter box with two factions in it. What you can get is a "battlebox", that contains a warcaster and two to four jacks depending on the faction. These are good for learning the game, and I think that the models you get in the battleboxes are all quite useful.
You'll need one of these per player ofc

I agree with what the others have said here.

The full Warmachine mk2 rules are available and the Hordes mk2 field test (basically a public beta) will start next week. Hordes mk2 will be released in the second half of next year, with a tournament-legal vupdate of the field test out early in january. The best place to start would probably be to buy a Warmachine or Hordes battlebox. The boxes are balanced well enough against each other to learn the game and provide a good starting point for a force. The models in them generally do not have the most complex special rules in the faction, which is another nice thing.

I'm not sure if you know, but Warmachine and its sister game Hordes are basically one large game system with all the factions balanced against each other. All in all, the two games have 10 factions, counting the mercenary contracts in Warmachine as one faction.

I've never played a GW game but I suppose I have a few opinions.

The company seems to be very responsive. They don't necessarily give in to whining, but they just tend to have this air of listening to what the forum public have to say.

The game is extremely fun. Been playing for a little over 3 years and I think it offers tons of tactical options. Like I said before, I've never actually played a GW game, but from what others have told me, there is a lot more tactics existing in the Privateer games. GW seems to put a lot of weight on strategy, which in general means your decisions before the game. PP seems to have a bit more focus on what actually happens during the game. Just to give it a wag, I'd say about 50-55% of WARMACHINE is based on what you do before the game.

I absolutely agree with waiting on buying books. January opens up with MKII (their 2nd edition). This should be a great book and I'm excited about it. And PP is offering all the rules right now for free on their site.

I also agree with not jumping to anywhere near 50 points for awhile. The Battle Boxes are pretty solid starting points. After that I'd recommend adding a few units and solos to 25 points. Then a new Warcaster. There is a post here that has started some discussions on moving beyond the Battle Box. I'd say getting to a flexible 25 point army would cost about $150 retail. This can change significantly depending on the weight of the models you are buying. This could be a lot closer to $100 or even a lot closer to $200.

I hope I was able to help!

Thanks again for the advice, guys. I'll be back shortly with a bajillion noob questions, I'm sure.