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Let me apologize. I realize this type of thread is very common in this forum, but it is also a very personal issue due to every individual's preference, so I haven't exactly found the answers to my specific desires in the other threads so far.

I'm very much interested in getting into the game. I've read the starter rules (a few times) and the dakka articles to get a feel for the game. So far I like what I've read. I've also looked over the army galleries on the PP website. I still feel like I could use some pointers to help me get a feel for what faction could work be best for me.

First off let me cover my aesthetic preferences. The only armies I've completely ruled out are Cygnar, Khador, Protectorate and Mercenaries. Something about the more traditional warjack models of those armies doesn't appeal to me. My favorite looking models are Skorne and Circle. Scyrah, Cryx, Legion, Trollbloods, and minions are also cool, but don't "call" to me as much as Skorne and Circle on a first impression of the aesthetics, but if any of those factions match well with my play style preferences they can be a strong contender for my choice.

As far as play style, my initial assumption is that I'd very much prefer to play a low model count army, probably beast or jack heavy. As a beginner I'd also like to choose an army that isn't extremely fragile. A faction that is beginner friendly and can possibly take a few hits/mistakes before the match is completely lost would be nice if such a force is out there. I wasn't sure at first if I'd prefer a melee or ranged force, but after thinking it over, I believe melee would be best for me. I prefer to advance towards my enemy head on, as opposed to trying to out maneuver them for tactical shooting lanes.

Thanks in advance for any input you have to share.

Edit: Wow, I need to apologize again. After posting this, I reread the skorne thread that is currently on this forum. When I first read that thread I was mostly thinking about aesthetics, but now I realize that my play style preferences also seem to match that thread's poster. Sorry for wasting the space. I'm starting to get the impression that skorne really does match my preferences the best, but feel free to toss in your input.

Sounds like Skorne or Legion are what you're looking for!

haendas wrote:
First off let me cover my aesthetic preferences. The only armies I've completely ruled out are Cygnar, Khador, Protectorate and Mercenaries. Something about the more traditional warjack models of those armies doesn't appeal to me. My favorite looking models are Skorne and Circle. Scyrah, Cryx, Legion, Trollbloods, and minions are also cool, but don't "call" to me as much as Skorne and Circle on a first impression of the aesthetics, but if any of those factions match well with my play style preferences they can be a strong contender for my choice.

First up, dont dismiss them out of hand, or even at first glance. PP models have their own unique style. It can put a lot of people off at first glance as its not "what they're used to". its not that its "bad", its "different". Warjacks are part of that. I lot of people dont like the scrunched up squatting pose that they have at first glance. But it really is something that grows on you the more you're exposed to it, and the more you get used to it. Also, please bear in mind PP are infamous for not doing justice to their models in their online photographs. you really need to see them "in the flesh" to get them. IMO, hold off on judging the factions based on aesthetics.

haendas wrote:
As far as play style, my initial assumption is that I'd very much prefer to play a low model count army, probably beast or jack heavy. As a beginner I'd also like to choose an army that isn't extremely fragile. A faction that is beginner friendly and can possibly take a few hits/mistakes before the match is completely lost would be nice if such a force is out there. I wasn't sure at first if I'd prefer a melee or ranged force, but after thinking it over, I believe melee would be best for me. I prefer to advance towards my enemy head on, as opposed to trying to out maneuver them for tactical shooting lanes.
.

Id always recommend starting off with the starter packs, which are low model count forces. jumping straight into 35pts infantry spam will put you in the deep end very quickly. Beast or Jack heavy isnt a problem - hordes tend to run more beasts than warmachine factions tend to run warjacks, but thats very much the synnergies based on the hordes fury mechanic- hordes forces tend to be battlegroup based, with limited supporting infantry, while warmachine factions tend to be more "balanced" and about a combined arms approach. I will stress- neither is better. this game is incredibly well balanced.

Regarding the fragile comment, you will need to modify your approach a bit. this is warmachine. Not 40k. the emphasis is on "killing", not "surviving". everything can kill everything else, pretty much. a loaded up warjack with 3 focus and the right buffs will happily kill anything in the game in 1 activation, regardless of how "hard" it is. "fragile" means something completely different here to 40k. you dont have squads with 2+ armour, 4+ inv and FNP saves along with t8. everything, to a lesser, or greater extent can and will die. Games are far bloodier than what you're used to!

also, bear in mind there really are no "forgiving" factions. this is not a "forgiving" game. this is playing-starcraft-against-a-korean hard. this is Halo, on hard mode with just a pistol hard. One mistake, regardless of faction can and will lose you the game. As a whole, this is not a game where you can download "the list", and play at the same level as a veteran, like 40k. skill, knowledge and experience will play a huge role. as such, when you start you will lose. you will lose a lot. Dont ges disheartened by this - we've all gone through it.

regarding range/melee. bear in mind "long range" in this game is 14". shooting can, and will kill stuff. it can, and will dominate. In terms of sheer damage output, melee will trump it. all shooty? all melee? IMO, take a bit of both. shooting is great for control/denial and taking out the alpha strike. and once turn 2 or 3 hits, you're close enough anyway to get stuck into the thick of it.

Thanks for the informative response Deadknight! Much appreciated. I understand your points and see where you are coming from. Unfortunately that leaves me even more undecided about what faction to choose. I'll almost certainly start with one of the new plastic battlegroup boxes once they are released. I'm hoping that the popular warmachine flgs in my area starts up an escalation (journeyman?) league so that I can limp into the game a little bit. If I buy one battlegroup box and decide it isn't the right match for me, that won't be the end of the world, but I want to avoid any significant wasted purchases. Figuring out a direction seems challenging for a rookie to get into the game. I don't have much to go on.

I think Skorne fit you well. Their beasts are about as tough as they come, they are straightforward advancing, they are mostly melee, and -most importantly- they are one of the armies you like most.
Circle is mostly melee as well, but they thrive on outmaneuvering their opposition and they are not nearly as robust.
Plastic battleboxes are coming in May so if you take your time deciding or pick up a few skorne to paint, that will be a terrific starting point.

My advice to you is to pick the faction that you like the look of most. Go to Privateer Press' web page, go to the gallery, and look through the model range of each faction. Decide which on you like the most, and play them. Because, and this is, more than anything, the honest truth; you'll maybe like the game if you pick the rules you love but the models you don't like. On the other hand, you'll LOVE the game if you pick the models you love and the rules that you merely like. Additionally, just about every faction has a least one 'caster or 'lock that can run every different play style. Some do it better than others, but every faction can run 'beast or 'jack heavy.

Warmachine Gallery: http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/gallery

Hordes Gallery: http://privateerpress.com/hordes/gallery

I really didn't like the models much at first either, but the more I have looked at them the more I like them. At this point..... AWESOME and I haven't even started playing yet .

Aesthetics are extremely important! Nothing worse than playing a faction you don't want to look at

Sounds like Skorne is right where you want to be.

Deadnight wrote:
Regarding the fragile comment, you will need to modify your approach a bit. this is warmachine. Not 40k. the emphasis is on "killing", not "surviving". everything can kill everything else, pretty much. a loaded up warjack with 3 focus and the right buffs will happily kill anything in the game in 1 activation, regardless of how "hard" it is. "fragile" means something completely different here to 40k. you dont have squads with 2+ armour, 4+ inv and FNP saves along with t8. everything, to a lesser, or greater extent can and will die. Games are far bloodier than what you're used to!

I find this is a bit of an overstatement. Particularly "everything can kill everything else". A bit too "Page 5" for my tastes, It think.Certainly , you're not going to be killing a Templar or Khador 'Jack with a Sentinel. Perhaps I'm biased because I play Menoth a faction with a lot of ways to deny the opponent their kills, but I often find it's a lot more complicated than "Point your beat stick at whatever you want dead - it's dead".

It's far from an impossible task to limit the options your opponent has to kill your guys. Perhaps nothing as extreme as what you listed for 40k, but you really do need specific tools to deal with things like a Winterguard blob under Iron Flesh. I can't just throw a Reckoner at it and expect to do any appreciable damage to the unit. I'm not going to make a dedicated charge with my Errants (my favorite models!) against most heavies. 4d6+9 just isn't going to put meaningful damage on the grid against ARM 18-21. Never mind if an ARM buff is play, the swords ain't blessed!


Anyone who expects their favourite model to live through anything that's thrown at it is going to be disappointed, yes. The person who expects their favourite models to kill anything it attacks is also going to be disappointed.

(Spell check turned "disappointed" into "self-appointed and I didn't even notice) yargh this post has been terrible. "Edited 12 times indeed")