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.

 NuclearMessiah wrote:
I think what the OP is seeing is an effect of the higher prices on GW products in the region on the game meta. Models cost substantially more in the area and would encourage more MSU style armies then in other regions such as Europe or North America where we have lower GW prices and greater access to discount sellers. This allows us in other parts of the world to build our armies with more variety then our friends in NZ and Australia.

It must be something like that, because I've been playing since RT and he's just flat out wrong on the trend.

Let's look at point costs:

At 1500 points in 2nd edition a SM army could have

A decent captain
5 Terminators
5 Terminators
10 Tactical Marines in a Rhino
10 Tactical Marines in a Rhino
Rapier Laser Destroyer

None these have any special equipment... thats 35 models

For the same models (replacing a thunderfire for the Rapier) its only 1100 points in 6e.

Armies have definetly gotten larger at the same points (which makes sense if you're GW) over the past 15+ years. But to tell the truth its not as significant as I thought it would have been.

Concur; I expect it must also be related to the higher prices in the Southern hemisphere.

 Ailaros wrote:

Mannahnin wrote:Of course, quite a few good players did field horde armies and win events with them.

Which is why, when we look back at 5th ed, all anyone will remember is how it was filled with horde armies and nobody ever went with mech...

Horde armies did well for many players. Doug Johnson, Alex Fennell, Ricky Johnson, Alex Kallend, and Matt Cassidy are five I can think of off the top of my head who won or placed high at national-level events fielding horde-style infantry armies. Three Orks and two IG. Fennell won the first ticket to the 2011 Vegas Throne of Skulls with his; and he and Cassidy both went to the finals in Ard Boyz. Doug won best Ork and had the highest aggregate score at Vegas 2011, and went to the finals in the Adepticon Championships this year. As I recall Doug and Ricky did well at or won multiple other big events. Alex Kallend placed high at the Adepticon Championships and Gladiator events with horde Orks. I saw several other players do well with them too.

Of course, the above can be true while we recognize that 5th was better-known for transport spam armies. Transport-centered armies were also very good (although a bit handicapped in events which preserved the normal ratio of Kill Point missions), and were easier & quicker to paint and play. So you saw a lot more of them.

Now in 6th, with Transports being less effective for many units, and usually unable to contest objectives, model counts are going up and horde armies becoming more commonplace.

I feel like the only other New Zealander on this thread. We have quite a variety of different people at my club and with them, we cover a good 80% of the different armies. I have seen every type of army there, but I can't say what the masters is like because I've never gone. Everyone has flyers, but that doesn't mean that we are all running 3. The dark elder player we have for example has half his army in troops and shreds thanks to the 3+ poison from his SC.