Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Okay I started Warmachine when it first came out, started up some Cryxx but never REALLY got into the game. I dipped my toe back in when Hordes cam out and played some Legion. Now I am growing tired of 40k and want a change of pace...

So my questions are as follows:

1. Is the game still based around caster kill? It drove me crazy that my army was entirely dependent on one unit and the game basically devolved into throwing everything at that one unit to win. This is what ultimately chased me away from the game.
2. I am interested in playing Gatormen as I am a huge fan of Lizardmen in any setting. Would I be able to play an army of JUST Gatormen?
3. Along with number 2, what resources would I need to look at if I were to start said army? Where would be a good place to start?

1. Caster kill still automatically ends the game. In order to mix things up from that, however, PP still supports their Steamroller tournament rules, which is a dozen scenarios which give alternate victory conditions.

2. Gatormen can be played on their own just fine. The thing to remember is that as a Minion Pact, they are kind of a "secondary" Faction when it comes to how many new releases they tend to get. That said, they are actually pretty solidly supported-as is with four warlocks, an okay selection of beasts, and while limitted on infantry have good choices.

3. The books you'd need for playing Minions as a Faction are probably HORDES Primal MkII (since well, core rules for warlocks), and Forces of HORDES: Minions, which has the rules for building Minion armies and updates for all the materail from MkI.

The anthology books Domination and Gargantuans have a few new models in them as well, but since models come with their cards they are not necessary to play save to get copies of Themed Forces, as neither book's new rules are utilized by Minions. War Room, while a buggy and slow app, is not a bad investment since it is a one-stop place to get all the cards for not that much.

And stuff.

1) Yes, caster kill is still a way to win the game, though attrition and scenario wins are, I think, a lot more possible than they used to be, and while there are some good combos, some of the excesses of MK1 have been pared back so it's a little easier to keep your caster safe.

2) Yes, it's possible, but quite limiting. As they're only one half of Minions (the other half being thornfall pigmen) and considering that minions as a whole is very new and small anyway, they have very few options, and they won't be gaining as many options with each release. As a sub-faction, you might find they struggle to deal with some things (they sometimes have trouble dealing with lots of high ARM lists apparently) but nothing that would make them unplayable.

3) battle college and the PP Minions forum (they have some useful stickies) are probably the best places to start.

1) As a rule killing the opposing warcaster/warlock still results in an automatic win, but caster kill is not the only win condition. Objective based-gameplay is a big portion of the game, and while you can build a list where it's primary objective is to win through assassination, about half of the wins in most games are through scenario conditions. There are some scenarios in the rulebook, and PP also releases their steamroller scenarios.

2) Playing Gatormen is possible but difficult. This is because of a few reasons. The first is that as a faction they are designed to be played with units from other factions, so if you want to play 'pure' gatormen then you will be in a difficult position. Also, they have the fewest models out of any faction, meaning that they will be hard pressed to adapt to certain enemy lists and units. They are entirely playable, and it is possible to do well with them, but it will be an uphill struggle, more than any other faction in the game.

3) Privateer Press forums are probably the best place to start, and battlecollege as a decent wiki to use. As a warning battle college, for legal reasons, can't post the actual rules, and since it is a wiki some information is inaccurate or outdated, but it is still a good reference.

1) Caster kill is still a victory condition as before, but there is more focus on Scenerio play.

2) Gators are a very viable, if slightly limited faction with only 4 warlocks(of which 1 isn't a gator), 5 beasts(yeah, only 5 warbeasts. 2 light and 3 heavy), 4 infantry units, and 7 solos. One of their Solos is a lesser warlock.

3) Well, you could just buy one of the Warlocks, a couple beasts, and maybe some infantry and expand from there. The only book you need to have is the Prime Mk2

If you really like Gator, playing Skorne is an option as well

But only if you like playing Jabba the Hutt

If you are planning on doing a 50pt gator list I would tell you that gators don't scale up that well I feel.
25 and 35 points feels right for them, any more and I feel they fall behind almost any other faction.

 KoldunKommanderGreybeard wrote:
If you are planning on doing a 50pt gator list I would tell you that gators don't scale up that well I feel.
25 and 35 points feels right for them, any more and I feel they fall behind almost any other faction.

I'm going on record as a "major disagree" with the above. Gators have plenty of options to help them scale up to 50 just fine and I've never struggled against any faction at that mark.

Pigs on the other hand, do kinda fall short thanks to their lack of unit choice.

As a Gator player I can say that 50 points is very well within your grasp to play at. I've never had a problem at 50. The gators run extremely well at 25 and 35 points.