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I am fairly new to wargames, currently have a 40k army and am currently looking at hordes, can someone give me a quick overview of horde, like how the armies are composed and whatnot?

How Fury works in Hordes: http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/How_Fury_works_in_Hordes

A Beginner's Guide to Privateer Press by Mr. Grey: http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/A_Beginner%27s_Guide_to_Privateer_Press_by_Mr._Grey

Legion - Speed, Damage, Borg
Trolls - Toughness, Damage, Alcohol
Circle - Mobility, Tricks, Hippies and Savages
Skorne - Damage, Buffs, Sadism

Hordes is game that centers having a single powerful spell caster called a Warlock command troops and a powerful monsters called Warbeasts. Warbeasts are central to gameplay as they provide your Warlock with both new special abilities, and the magical energy they use to cast spells. The spells of each warlock and the abilities of their Warbeasts often have complex interactions and an otherwise identical list can feel dramatically different with another caster or even a single beast swap.

Compared with 40k each model or unit is very unique, having it's own set of special rules and abilities that go beyond the usual to-hit & re-roll type bonuses you usually get in 40k. The rules are deliberate and the core rules are straightforward, with individual models adding depth and complexity. Hordes is a dynamic game where there can be huge swings in game state on a few moves and understanding threat ranges is key skill. Hordes rewards planning, synergistic list construction, and broad system mastery - often knowing what your opponents pieces do is almost as important as knowing your own. The learning curve can be very steep.

Hordes and Warmachine are basically the same game and the distinction only really exists to separate the "Civilized" factions of humanity that use Warjacks (fighting machines) and the savage and non-human factions that use Warbeasts. The casters & big models use some different rules with regards to special powers, but they otherwise use the same ruleset. In any meta you can expect both Hordes & Warmachine factions playing.

Legion: An army of twisted irradiated Elves who worship a Dragon God that exists within crystal fragments embedded in his various Warlocks chests(Think Ironman) The biggest piece is inside a massive Ogrun(Ogre)

Skorne: Masochistic elves from the east who have an empire built upon pain and suffering. They command an army of bipedal elephants, lesser Skorne, and various other monsters. They operate on the principal that if you poke something it fights harder.

Circle: Angry Hippy Werewolves.

Trollbloods: Scottish Trolls who are trying to reclaim their homeland. And like Native Americans they rely on large herds of Bison, but they also ride them into battle!



Minions(basically minor factions that also do mercenary work on the side, so the main factions above can take some of this factions units in their own lists)

Blindwater Congregation: Bipedal gatormen with a Cajan flare and some necromancy thrown in. Want an army of gators, snapping turtles, and octopi this is what you want. Be warned, limited amount of list options.

Thornfall Alliance: A race of pig people combined with a mad scientist. Again a rather limited number of options but still a functional faction. Along with some awesome characters.

I like how people call circle hippies. Yet in the fluff there is much more human sacrifice and stealing babies. And I can't think of a single example of peace and love. Maybe Baldur caring for Kaya? But Circle definitely isn't pace and love to others.

 Mordekiem wrote:
human sacrifice and stealing babies

Sounds like woodstock to me

Circle is more close to nature-using Illuminati terrorists than tree-hugging hippies, I think. Also fits tot he use of werewolves and cannibals.

And stuff.

Eco-terrorists would probably be the most apt description. Willing to do anything and everything in order to save what they view as important.