Switch Theme:

Why Did You Pick Your Army (KoW Style)  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


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.




Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

Well, this topic has been made for 40k and AoS so why not here too? It's a good topic!

My initial interest was in kingdoms of men, because I ended up with a lot of historical figures and wanted to do something fun with them! It's... not the most complicated reason i admit. I ended up getting into the trident realm though, mainly because the naiads came with otters. And i love the otters. And also nightstalkers, because they're wonderfully creepy and have a lot of conversion and creative potential.

How about you?

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Courageous Questing Knight





Texas

KoW? We started playing these rules and dumped WHFB rules long ago. And, with three boys growing up, between all of us and GW and Mantic, I do not think there was a single army someone did not play around in at some point. OK, here it goes:

Myself: GW- Brets (primary), WoC, High Elves. Mantic- Undead (Primary), Basileans, Orcs, Dwarfs. WGF- Samurai
Son 1: GW- Orcs & Empire (Primary). Mantic- Elves
Son 2: GW- Dwarfs (primary), Vampire Counts
Son 3: GW- Skaven (primary), Tomb Kings
Wife: GW- Wood Elves (with fairy wings attached)

Being the primary paint person, this means I have painted A LOT of minis!!

For me, I just loved the whole idea of Brets and then needed the WoC minis that looked so cool to counter them. Then when we picked up IoB set for the Skaven, I ended up with Elves and got into them for a while. With Mantic the Undead line was got me going and the others sort of grew on me.

My Novella Collection is available on Amazon - Action/Fantasy/Sci-Fi - https://www.amazon.com/Three-Roads-Dreamt-Michael-Leonard/dp/1505716993/

 
   
Made in us
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver






If you mean an army bought strictly for KoW, then first the Abyssal Dwarfs, then Dwarfs, followed by Northern Alliance, and Nightstalkers.

The Abyssal Dwarfs were purchased almost simultaneously since I could not make up my mind between the two, and in the case of the AD, there was a mega-army on a 48% discount with free shipping on eBay at the time. Now that I've played both, I prefer the Abyssal Dwarfs, but the uncorrupted ones can be fun for a change, and I do like the unit selection for the Free Dwarfs in the new Uncharted Empires. Pathfinder and Scout all over the place.

With the launch of the 3rd edition, I purchased the Shadows in the North Starter since I wanted both armies. Indeed, when pledging for KoW: Vanguard, I added extra figures for the Northern Alliance. Both armies are not table-ready, other than the figures built after the KoW: Vanguard launch, only the new Clansmen have been built, and nothing for the Nightstalkers. Have added some third party character models, as well as Free Folk Trappers from the ASOIAF minis game for the NA, and the Reaper Bones Lovecraftian oozing horror will serve as a Cavern Dweller and something else in the Nightstalkers army. So both have been purchased, but are very WiP. Priority is: Finish AD, assemble NA, assemble Nightstalkers. (Some Dwarfs are going to be part of the NA, and many are already assembled. Painting ... that's another story.)

As it is, since I came from WHFB like so many others, my established armies are Twilight Kin (which I've yet to try in either edition), Undead, Elves, and Salamanders. If I ever assemble the Macedonian army, I could run that as Kingdoms of Men.

Kings of War: Abyssal Dwarves, Dwarves, Elves, Undead, Northern Alliance [WiP], Nightstalkers [WiP]
Dropzone Commander: PHR
Kill Team: Deathwatch AdMech Necron

 
   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

I was thinking whatever army you started playing kings of war with, whether it was an already owned warhammer army or a newly bought one. It's an open topic!

MDSW: Wow yeah, that... I'm not sure i can even imagine painting that many.

Ancestral Hamster: I've been thinking of checking out the abyssal dwarfs more, especially with the newer plastic figures. How do they play?

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver






 amazingturtles wrote:
Ancestral Hamster: I've been thinking of checking out the abyssal dwarfs more, especially with the newer plastic figures. How do they play?
They have good cavalry and war engine options, varied magic, and have many options when it comes to list building. Ironically, the dwarfs part often gets left out; Mv 4 is a handicap, even if a Blacksouls horde is a solid anvil unit. I usually run lots of golems for Surge tricks (only 1 Greater), Abyssal Halfbreeds and Grotesques for the cavalry arm, 2 troops of Gargoyles to harass weak support units like spellcasters and war engines. There is usually 1 Blacksouls horde for an anvil, and a Decimator troop as flank guard. A single Immortal Guard regiment is on detached flank guard since they have Fearless, and can operate away from Inspiring if necessary. With the golems, at least two Iron-casters are needed.

With the changes in 3rd, I'll need to change the artillery I use. It used to be the rocket launchers for consistency, but now that even the big guns roll 2 dice, they may be worth bringing. I do use the Dragon-team in a defensive close support role.

Similarly, now that Yellow-bellied is gone, the Slave Orc Gore Riders are useful. While it was obvious that with Yellow-bellied, you needed to manuever them for a flank, sometimes you had no choice but to try the frontal charge. Since it always failed, I stopped using them. There is also the Ratkin Slave theme list; not that I've tried it, but yet more expendable (and explosive!) chaff for speed bumps.

Where is everyone? I thought this thread would draw more activity.

Kings of War: Abyssal Dwarves, Dwarves, Elves, Undead, Northern Alliance [WiP], Nightstalkers [WiP]
Dropzone Commander: PHR
Kill Team: Deathwatch AdMech Necron

 
   
Made in gb
Rampaging Reaver Titan Princeps





Earlobe deep in doo doo

Started of with Warhammer, Brets, Beasts and then Warriors of Nurgle and Skaven. For KoW I've revamped my Brets as KoM as I wanted a more old human infantry army using more historical miniatures as I always liked quasi-historical stuff. I then added Undead as I backed Zombicide Blck Plague and only needed a few odds and sods to turn that into a proper army.

"But me no buts! Our comrades get hurt. Our friends die. Falkenburg is a knight who swore an oath to serve the church and to defend the weak. He'd be the first to tell you to stop puling and start planning. Because what we are doing-at risk to ourselves-is what we have sworn to do. The West relies on us. It is a risk we take with pride. It is an oath we honour. Even when some soft southern burgher mutters about us, we know the reason he sleeps soft and comfortable, why his wife is able to complain about the price of cabbages as her most serious problem and why his children dare to throw dung and yell "Knot" when we pass. It's because we are what we are. For all our faults we stand for law and light.
Von Gherens This Rough Magic Lackey, Flint & Freer
Mekagorkalicious -Monkeytroll
2017 Model Count-71
 
   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

Thank you for that in depth response, Ancestral Hamster! It's a shame that the dwarves are the least essential part, they're the guys i like the most. Ah well.

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver






You're welcome. Unfortunate, although from a fluff standpoint it makes sense. Why would brutal slavers risk their lives in battle if there are other options? Only the most powerful and ambitious, or the most wretched, abyssal dwarfs go to war in person.

 amazingturtles wrote:
Thank you for that in depth response, Ancestral Hamster! It's a shame that the dwarves are the least essential part, they're the guys i like the most. Ah well.

Kings of War: Abyssal Dwarves, Dwarves, Elves, Undead, Northern Alliance [WiP], Nightstalkers [WiP]
Dropzone Commander: PHR
Kill Team: Deathwatch AdMech Necron

 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





My route to my army was a little different. I had been a historical gamer with WAB, Hail Caesar etc Never played WHFB - wanted to play a fantasy game but wasn't into the then current versions of WH and didn't know anyone that would play Armies of Arcana.

One day, got interested in the Shieldwolf shield maiden kick starter and went in on it, and I rarely do much with KS. Got the army and in the comments asked ok, what can I use this army for and someone suggested KOW Varangur. Painted them up, added lots of other company miniatures and eventually switched to Northern Alliance all female army. Great group in the area and can't wait to start playing again.
   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

Ancestral Hamster wrote:You're welcome. Unfortunate, although from a fluff standpoint it makes sense. Why would brutal slavers risk their lives in battle if there are other options? Only the most powerful and ambitious, or the most wretched, abyssal dwarfs go to war in person.

 amazingturtles wrote:
Thank you for that in depth response, Ancestral Hamster! It's a shame that the dwarves are the least essential part, they're the guys i like the most. Ah well.


That's a good point about the fluff. I mean, it's probably a point in mantic's favor that they have an army that works the way it's described to work! I just like those evil little guys is all.

Piano Man wrote:My route to my army was a little different. I had been a historical gamer with WAB, Hail Caesar etc Never played WHFB - wanted to play a fantasy game but wasn't into the then current versions of WH and didn't know anyone that would play Armies of Arcana.

One day, got interested in the Shieldwolf shield maiden kick starter and went in on it, and I rarely do much with KS. Got the army and in the comments asked ok, what can I use this army for and someone suggested KOW Varangur. Painted them up, added lots of other company miniatures and eventually switched to Northern Alliance all female army. Great group in the area and can't wait to start playing again.


I've never heard of armies of arcana. Interestingly i kind of got into kings of war through historical stuff at first too. I wanted to use the historical armies book at first, but it looks like it might not be supported going further into third?

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Central Valley, California

I chose nighstalkers because I love the monsters aesthetcically, they are hard to shoot in the game, i am somewhat fascinated by Nightmares, and based on their texture and skin type I can paint the entire army with Contrast.

~ Shrap

Rolling 1's for five decades.
AoS * Konflikt '47 * Conquest Last Argument of Kings * A War Transformed  
   
Made in cz
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver






 Shrapnelsmile wrote:
I chose nighstalkers because I love the monsters aesthetcically, they are hard to shoot in the game, i am somewhat fascinated by Nightmares, and based on their texture and skin type I can paint the entire army with Contrast.
So is your Nightstalker army a recent acquisition, or did you start working on it in 2nd ed?

Kings of War: Abyssal Dwarves, Dwarves, Elves, Undead, Northern Alliance [WiP], Nightstalkers [WiP]
Dropzone Commander: PHR
Kill Team: Deathwatch AdMech Necron

 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Central Valley, California

 Ancestral Hamster wrote:
 Shrapnelsmile wrote:
I chose nighstalkers because I love the monsters aesthetcically, they are hard to shoot in the game, i am somewhat fascinated by Nightmares, and based on their texture and skin type I can paint the entire army with Contrast.
So is your Nightstalker army a recent acquisition, or did you start working on it in 2nd ed?


I started in January, painted two units, and am just returning to them now.

I have yet to play a game with the faction, thus far i've only played with Ogres.

~ Shrap

Rolling 1's for five decades.
AoS * Konflikt '47 * Conquest Last Argument of Kings * A War Transformed  
   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

The nightstalkers are lot of fun to look at, i got into them partly because of all the creative things that people were doing to make them, just really wild stuff.

That said, mantic's own minis for them are quite good, i think.

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in si
Foxy Wildborne







I started with Dorfs, because I had an army's worth of GW dorfs still on sprue. Then Ogres for the same reason.

During the KoW 2 kickstarter I pledged for the Abssal mega army so I had a Mantic force, but I also bought a couple more GW armies specifically to use in KoW.

Posters on ignore list: 36

40k Potica Edition - 40k patch with reactions, suppression and all that good stuff. Feedback thread here.

Gangs of Nu Ork - Necromunda / Gorkamorka expansion supporting all faction. Feedback thread here
   
Made in ca
Grumpy Longbeard





Canada

I've always enjoyed playing the army with weird rules and/or which varies a game mechanic a bit, and mind-bending horror.
Which is why I ended up with Tzeentch daemons in Warhammer (both). It also make night-stalkers appealing in terms of rules.
The Mantic models for night-stalkers are great if you are into that kind of thing and they are a good home for my mutalith (one of the few GW minis that I kept after getting fed up wit GW).

I've loved dwarves and their character since reading The Hobbit as a boy. Mantic made the army a bit more dynamic with rangers and brocks, so I finally got dwarfs for KoW.

Ancestral Hamster wrote:Where is everyone? I thought this thread would draw more activity.

Hopefully at https://www.kowforum.com/.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2020/11/27 03:42:02


Nightstalkers Dwarfs
GASLANDS!
Holy Roman Empire  
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter





SoCal

I’ve got tons of elves, dwarfs, orcs and undead because they were some of the first fantasy plastics outside the GW bubble, and because they were cheap. Since then, I’ve tended to pledge in Mantic Kickstarters or buy a box of new plastics here and there, mostly for conversions.

Mantic minis tend to be affordable enough that I don’t feel it is necessary to pick one army only.

   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

DarkBlack wrote:I've always enjoyed playing the army with weird rules and/or which varies a game mechanic a bit, and mind-bending horror.
Which is why I ended up with Tzeentch daemons in Warhammer (both). It also make night-stalkers appealing in terms of rules.
The Mantic models for night-stalkers are great if you are into that kind of thing and they are a good home for my mutalith (one of the few GW minis that I kept after getting fed up wit GW).

I've loved dwarves and their character since reading The Hobbit as a boy. Mantic made the army a bit more dynamic with rangers and brocks, so I finally got dwarfs for KoW.

Ancestral Hamster wrote:Where is everyone? I thought this thread would draw more activity.

Hopefully at https://www.kowforum.com/.


Thanks for reminding me that i need to join that forums!

BobtheInquisitor wrote:I’ve got tons of elves, dwarfs, orcs and undead because they were some of the first fantasy plastics outside the GW bubble, and because they were cheap. Since then, I’ve tended to pledge in Mantic Kickstarters or buy a box of new plastics here and there, mostly for conversions.

Mantic minis tend to be affordable enough that I don’t feel it is necessary to pick one army only.


the prices are reasonable enough for this hobby, i've been more kept back by the idea of the time involved in a new project rather than the cost with KoW.

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter





SoCal

Well sure, if you intend to assemble and paint them.

   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Well sure, if you intend to assemble and paint them.


If I don't... i get THE GUILT

and let me tell you, i have a lot that right now

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter





SoCal

I just like to pile up the bits and run my hands through them. I scoop them up and dribble them between my fingers. I tilt my head back and pour them down my face in a grey torrent. Then I get out the band-aids.

   
Made in us
Is 'Eavy Metal Calling?





Affton, MO. USA

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I just like to pile up the bits and run my hands through them. I scoop them up and dribble them between my fingers. I tilt my head back and pour them down my face in a grey torrent. Then I get out the band-aids.


#50 Tons of grey (Doesn't matter if it's metric or imperial, 50 tons of either will hurt like a )

LOL, Theo your mind is an amazing place, never change.-camkierhi 9/19/13
I cant believe theo is right.. damn. -comradepanda 9/26/13
None of the strange ideas we had about you involved your sexual orientation..........-Monkeytroll 12/10/13

I'd put you on ignore for that comment, if I could...Alpharius 2/11/14 
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter





SoCal

I’ll dive in like Scrooge McDuck.

   
Made in de
Battlefield Tourist






Nuremberg

My main "all mantic" army is the Undead. I picked them because the Mantic Undead were the first faction from them I liked that I did not already own a bunch of models for (I had dwarves already for Warhammer). The old Undead army deal was a brilliant deal, throw in a few bits and pieces from GW like Skeleton cavalry and a couple of characters and I suddenly had a full Undead force for very little money spent. Very happy with them, though I have actually never gotten to use them in a game despite them being fully painted and everything!

   
Made in us
Brigadier General






Chicago

Late to the game, but I'll play.

My only 2000 point KoW army (currently Varangur) comprised mostly of GW (Battlemasters) Chaos figures with alot of other brands mixed in. Having almost always played "good guys" I wanted to try baddies and had liked the early GW chaos aesthetic all the way back into my childhood when I first got the Battlemasters game.

Functionally, it is simply an outgrowth of a triple sized Song of Blades and Heroes (SBH) warband called "Night Herons of the Black Crown" that was painted up for a campaing and then just kept growing.
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/2013/05/painting-up-old-school-chaos-fantasy/
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/2013/06/night-herons-of-black-crown-part-2/
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/2013/06/night-herons-of-black-crown-part-3/

That grew to a Dragon Rampant Warband, that eventually grew to a KoW army (KoM with allies at first).

The jump to KoW was made possible by already having a few Battlemasters sets (and acquiring more parts) and being able to build the core of the army around the GW designed Chaos Knights, warriors, archers and beastmen.

We shoehorned a KoW game into our SBH campaign and I knew I'd found my ideal rank-and-file, company-level fantasy ruleset.

My in-progress army is the "good guys" comprised of Runewars Daqan. As soon as the bad-guys army was getting near 2000 points, I knew I wanted it's antithesis. I bought a huge quantity of vintage medieval metal knights/foot/archers/etc but when an Adepticon Core-set freebie and an army swap landed me with a bunch of Runewars Daqan I knew that was the direction I wanted to go and I sold off the vintage figs. Jumped right in painting those figs and playing Runewars for a while. Though I knew the game would eventually die the long term expectation was always to end up with a KoW army.
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/2017/05/runewars-daqan-army-finished/
Only to about 900 painted points on that one, but it was definitely the right choice. It's a more contemporary style that provides a better counterpoint to the bulky GW figures than the vintage metal did.

Now I've just got to finish up the last 1000 points or so that is currently sitting in various states of unpainted or partially painted...

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/01/28 14:06:47


Chicago Skirmish Wargames club. Join us for some friendly, casual gaming in the Windy City.
http://chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/


My Project Log, mostly revolving around custom "Toybashed" terrain.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/651712.page

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad!
https://chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com 
   
Made in ca
Damsel of the Lady





drinking tea in the snow

The battlemasters guys are still a lot of fun. They were some of the first GW figures i ever saw, though i had no idea what GW even was back then, it was just this amazing game that my cousin had.

I really like the green on the runewars figures too.

realism is a lie
 
   
Made in gb
Legendary Dogfighter





England

Forces of abyss. I backed the 2nd Ed Kickstarter and wanted a mantic army rather than porting a warhammer army across. Of all the armies mantic we’re doing they were the best looking, and had there own style not just a warhammer clone.

it's the quiet ones you have to look out for. Their the ones that change the world, the loud ones just take the credit for it. 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

I only have ONE fantasy army.
I played High Elves in WHFB from 6-8th ed. It was a default choice for KoW after GW nuked the old world and brought in AoS.
(and no, it's not a "hating on AoS for the sake of it" comment. I was mostly sick of GW games by that point anyway. I'd already given up on 40k for other games.

It mostly ported across to KoW on a like for like basis. It didn't really require much thought in what was what.




I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in us
Brigadier General






Chicago

 amazingturtles wrote:
The battlemasters guys are still a lot of fun. They were some of the first GW figures i ever saw, though i had no idea what GW even was back then, it was just this amazing game that my cousin had.

I really like the green on the runewars figures too.

Thanks! (Sorry about the late reply)
I agree. For anyone with nostalgia for 80s/90s GW, they just smile when they see a bunch of BM all ranked up.

I keep meaning to play an actual game of Battlemasters with my kids but haven't gotten around to it yet.

As for the green fellows, I'm actually working on another big batch of them right now! 32 foot (with new weapons) almost ready for the dip. 12 knights halfway there and 2 basecoated golems.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2021/02/24 18:16:06


Chicago Skirmish Wargames club. Join us for some friendly, casual gaming in the Windy City.
http://chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/


My Project Log, mostly revolving around custom "Toybashed" terrain.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/651712.page

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad!
https://chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com 
   
Made in us
Imperial Recruit in Training





WHFB Dark Elves -> Bretonnians -> High Elves over Tomb Kings or Lizardmen -> Samurai Kingdoms of Men -> Twilgiht Kin, Mantic Elves, "Basileans"

Started with WHFB Dark Elves - bought the warriors model kit and THEN learned it could be used in an army. The aesthetic gripped me and I didn't find much in the army book I disliked either (though still not a fan of Witch Elf models). When 6e Bretonnians came out, I was hooked, though I used men of Minas Tirith from the LOtR series for my peasants due to costs and looking less inbred, claiming my guys were from a nicer part of town. Eventually, I started a High Elf army to combat my Dark Elves, especially when my good friend added High Elves to supplement his dwarves and we tried something from war of the beard once or twice.

I was either finishing college or starting graduate school when I learned I'd missed the end times and WHFB was gone, which hampered my enjoyment a bit since I had also wanted to start a Tomb Kings army but couldn't fund it, and had planned to use a mix of TKings and historical Egyptians painted ala ghosts to get the vibe I wanted. Before that I had gone deep into Test of Honor to fulfill a childhood dream of having an army of Rokugani Samurai from all the Clans of Legend of the Five Rings, and had the kits to make it happen - especially since the rules for Clan war, when I got them, made me realize why it died out so fast.

When Kings of War came to my attention, it was with the 2nd edition release. I used my Brets as Basileans and dipped my toe into some of the Fireforge minis, both because I find I like the look of their mounted sergeants in place of Bretonnian Yeomen (and a lighter Basilean Cav), and because I wanted more Pegasus Knights and if they aren't near impossible to find at a reasonable price (Though battle nuns on Panthers and angry Elohim still sit on my buy list after those mantic gargoyles for my twilight kin...). Because I had the 1e Test of Honor and some old Clan War miniatures, I put those in place for Kingdoms of Men (with appropriate movement tray modifications), transferred over my elves, and looked up the rules for twilight Kin which I hear were moved into a different state for 3e.

The wife may play one day if I ever put together an Empire of Dust army, and I've dabbled prior to the release of the line with using Tyrranids as Nightstalkers. I'd be happier and further along in my projects if I could just bring myself to base dioramas instead of individuals on the conviction that I might grab another WHFB game someday or get the D&D group back together....*sighs*

"I see nothing more than you; you look the wrong way" - Togashi, or someone. 
   
 
Forum Index » Mantic Miniature Games (Kings of War, etc.)
Go to: