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So after hemming and hawing over the drastic changes since release, I finally had the gumption to give it a chance - around the time that the Generals Handbook released. Watching more bat reps warmed me up to some of the possibilities that it seemed to encourage - like small scale narrative play. I'm still a little torn about the direction they took the lore.

So, after playing a game about a week ago, I found that even for a first game, it ran fairly smoothly. I found that the simplification woven wasn't as contrived as I was fearing. Overall, I really look forward to doing more games.

BUT, I did find moving rather cumbersome in regards to the larger units. My 40 man spearman unit was still on a unit tray for my brevity, and when it came to the pile in, I found that things got confusing - especially trying to consider the melee range and who was eligible to attack. Since this observation, I've come to realize that AoS seems definitely more focused on smaller scale games - when it comes to model count. The only course I foresee around this is if they come out with block infantry rules.

Anyone else share the same sentiments?

I use a large block of goblins (50+) in one of my armies and don't have troubles. Like you, I keep them on a movement tray initially, but I break them away from it once they are in melee and doing pile-in moves. Specifically, I actually have the single unit spread across several movement trays since that allows me to easily reshape the overall footprint while they are moving. However I can see how a game with multiple 30/40-man units per side could easily become tedious.

As for melee range, I use a small measuring tool with a 1" side and a 2" side to quickly determine what models are/aren't swinging (ideally such a tool would have a 3" side as well but the one GW sells is stupidly overpriced). The pile in is something I found tricky starting off but after having gotten the hang of it its become much easier. I have a mental breakdown I use to streamline things in my head:

-Choose model that's piling in
-Determine which enemy model is the closest
-Move up to 3" and ensure that enemy model is closer than when I started
-Choose the next model to pile in

I have heard multiple times that the piling-in is tricky to wrap ones head around even after playing several times, so I'd theorize its something that some people are more 'wired' for than others.

Moving models on a textured board can slow it down, but I've found using a 3" combat gauge works easy to determine the 3" away split via a simple template. Saves lots of time. And, I don't have the GW one, I bought $5 one on eBay for Warmahordes/AoS. Same thing, just less lethal if you pelt your opponent with it.

 VeteranNoob wrote:
just less lethal if you pelt your opponent with it.

Which, depending on how liberal you are with AoS' 'silly rules' may be a significant downside.

I wouldn't ever use a movement tray (mainly because I don't have one for 25mm rounds that fits flush - in fact have never seen one). You will speed up naturally later on as you play the game more.

However, the more models you have the longer the game takes by far. If you're going to tournaments and two horde-ish armies go up against each other you'll really struggle to finish the game in time in my opinion.

I am finding my Freeguild (Empire) army is getting more and more unwieldy at higher point values. I played a game at 2500 points and I had 100+ models whereas my opponent with Stormcast had around 30-40.

It's one of the reasons why my new army is going to be an elite low model count army. I'm going for Bloodbound and the first 1000 points is going to be 19 models!

Oh, I hope that doesn't mean the end of your Freeguild army pictures and collecting. They're really inspiring.

(Hopefully a future battletome for them will fix their cumbersome numbers.)

Should probably use some movement trays there bottle! Or even pieces of cardboard. For the initial movement stages it makes things soooo much easier.

Balderdash and poppycock! You get used to moving quickly or sliding forward models who won't get into combat right away. You could, with a horde army on a mouse pad table, just slide them forward like one of those cards/chips nudge-thingies casinos use (I do )

For larger units (more than 10), I think I might make up some flat movement trays made of balsa wood or something.

1000pts and lower, this game is good, not great, but it works, anything above a skirmish I play realhammer, or 9th age.

Baron Klatz wrote:Oh, I hope that doesn't mean the end of your Freeguild army pictures and collecting. They're really inspiring.

(Hopefully a future battletome for them will fix their cumbersome numbers.)

Thanks :-) no, I am not stopping the Freeguild just yet. I have a Hurricanum, 10 Knights and 30 Handgunners on my hobby desk for starters!

When I say unwieldy, it's the fact that so many models are difficult to transport - difficult to manoeuvre on the battlefield and it just takes longer to play. I find the 4 page rules are pretty accurate about how long a game will take, and while I relish the big battles that take an afternoon, when you're playing to a deadline it can be difficult!

NinthMusketeer wrote:Should probably use some movement trays there bottle! Or even pieces of cardboard. For the initial movement stages it makes things soooo much easier.

I'm not sure they'll make playing with lots of models any easier to be honest. Especially as I like to deploy through forests or in slight curves :-) I don't think it's really the movement phase that takes all the time specifically (I play a gunline that hardly moves), I think it's more an accumulation of more dice to roll, more models to pile-in, more actions to make etc etc.

Bear in my mind, I don't think it's that bad. I got all my turns in at my last tournament, but if the scene wants to increase to 2500pts I might struggle for sure.

Formosa wrote:1000pts and lower, this game is good, not great, but it works, anything above a skirmish I play realhammer, or 9th age.

I wouldn't agree with that at all. The game plays very well at high points values (I.e. It's very fun for me), it just takes a long time with lots of models - and that doesn't strictly relate to the points limit of the game now that there is such diversity in points between horde and elite units (you could fit 150+ BloodReavers into a 1000pt game).