2 Days!
6 Games! (plus a cheeky one before breakfast on day 2)
3 Armies!
1 speed bastion assembly!
12 bacon and egg butties!
47 cups of tea!
3 1/2 takeaways!
2 lost dice!
3 deepstrike mishaps!
4 broken models!
1 deepstriking land raider!!!
We had it all! What a weekend it was, fun was had by all, even our resident spectator (I hope). We learned alot about planet strike, agies defence lines are good, rivers of lava are bad! So what we thought would be a great defensive setup on the first game rapidly evolved, it soon became clear there was no ideal setup all combinations had their merits and pitfalls, the economics of battle changed drastically too, having a unit kill more then it's worth for example, this had no real bearing, as the game could be won of the slightest of margins, in fact several games came down to a single dice roll (Damn that Demon Troll...err Prince!) it was hard and brutal and totally in keeping with my vision of the 40k universe, were the opposite sides don't have the decency to line up on the field before the battle. It's added a whole new level to the game, one that probably would have existed without the aid of supplement several years ago, but I don't want to get into that right now.
Winning and losing make no odds to me, I enjoy the mental challenges the game offers and pitting my wits against my opponent, it's getting caught in the moment that makes this hobby so special. Tho I'm bit worried Scott and Si found my so-called 'blood lust' a little overbearing (tho in character!), I make no apologies, as it has come to represent to me one of the few times I can really let go and not worry about other peoples perceptions and have some damn good fun, which would only be achievable around such good friends :)
Only downside to the whole weekend other then it ending was the winner has to make the tea.. /shrug >:(
- Ollie
Thursday 25 November 2010
Planetstrike Weekend - The Chaos Perspective
Well, Planetstrike Weekend has been and gone in a haze of tea, dice, curry, and blast templates! For me, the hobby is as much a comforting link to a more carefree past as it is enjoyable for its own reasons. First there is the build-up, chatting to each other about what you're aiming to get painted, what scenarios you want to play, and what lists you're going to try out. The day arrives, people rock up, the kettle goes on, armies are unpacked, and newly painted minis are passed around and looked at closely with a geeky eye. Once battle commences it's a blur of dice rolls interspersed with moments of insane bravery, valour, success and failure! It gets dark outside. Take-away is delivered and consumed.
I crashed out on the couch at 3am in a sleeping bag. In the morning, the sound of me making tea got Ollie up and about and we were playing again in no time. The second day passed as enjoyably as the first.
Ollie and his Space Wolves were ultimately victorious, winning each of the four Planetstrike games he played. My Chaos Marines lost three games and won a single victory against Simon's Blood Angels, who in turn lost three games and took a single victory against myself. Ollie is a very capable player, very capable indeed. You need to be well practised and have your wits about you to even draw against him. I would say playing Simon is more relaxed, as Ollie gets a kind of battle lust going after a win or two which can make it almost stressful to be around - but trying to beat Ollie is challenging and fun in its own right! Write this down - I will have my revenge! I myself am the kind of player who always turns up out of practice and makes stupid mistakes for the entire weekend. I just don't play often enough to work up any level of skill or familiarity.
We all achieved our painting pledges, but sadly our finished armies were put to shame with unpainted bastions and amateur scenery. I'm embarking on a terrain project now which will see all the Planetstrike scenery I need finished and painted, followed by some refurbishment on the modular board I built last year, and then a variety of other terrain pieces.
Here's a couple of shots from the only game I managed to win, the Forlorn Hope mission from Planetstrike:
In the top shot you can see my Chaos Terminators crashing against the Blood Angels' Aegis Defence lines, and Trunk'hi, my Chaos Sorcerer, finishing off the last member of a short-lived assault squad! Rattaur, his familiar, and true general of the Chaos invasion force, watches sinisterly from his vantage point on the Deathguard Rhino!
In the second shot you can just see a small (but very brave) team of marines trying to get to the (badly wounded) Daemon Prince and finish him off before he can plant the Banner of Nurgle on the Imperial Bastion. Alas, it was not to be, and Chaos won the day. This is actually the first game we used the Aegis Defence lines, clipping them off the sprue to make use of them. They changed the game entirely. Planetstrike is not the same without them. What a shame I didn't get to use them when trying to defend my bastions from the Space Wolves beforehand! Apologies for the unpainted scenery in these shots. We are already planning 'Planetstrike Weekend MkII', the focus of which will be painted scenery and revised army lists in light of what we learnt about Planetstrike by playing through the entire book!
So, having learnt how NOT to play Planetstrike, I've been revising my army lists, both for the Attacking and Defending roles. Rattaur, displeased with Trunk'hi's showing over the course of the campaign (despite impressive results in previous games), has relieved him of further Planetstrike duties. I started a conversion for his replacement in the loft last night, stay tuned for that! Rattaur stands in the shadows and whispers instructions to me as I work..
The next time you hear from me, I will be showing a painted Planetstrike setup. I'll go over my army list changes and show you the new additions and conversions after our next campaign weekend - wouldn't want the enemy snooping beforehand would I?
-scott
I crashed out on the couch at 3am in a sleeping bag. In the morning, the sound of me making tea got Ollie up and about and we were playing again in no time. The second day passed as enjoyably as the first.
Ollie and his Space Wolves were ultimately victorious, winning each of the four Planetstrike games he played. My Chaos Marines lost three games and won a single victory against Simon's Blood Angels, who in turn lost three games and took a single victory against myself. Ollie is a very capable player, very capable indeed. You need to be well practised and have your wits about you to even draw against him. I would say playing Simon is more relaxed, as Ollie gets a kind of battle lust going after a win or two which can make it almost stressful to be around - but trying to beat Ollie is challenging and fun in its own right! Write this down - I will have my revenge! I myself am the kind of player who always turns up out of practice and makes stupid mistakes for the entire weekend. I just don't play often enough to work up any level of skill or familiarity.
We all achieved our painting pledges, but sadly our finished armies were put to shame with unpainted bastions and amateur scenery. I'm embarking on a terrain project now which will see all the Planetstrike scenery I need finished and painted, followed by some refurbishment on the modular board I built last year, and then a variety of other terrain pieces.
Here's a couple of shots from the only game I managed to win, the Forlorn Hope mission from Planetstrike:
In the top shot you can see my Chaos Terminators crashing against the Blood Angels' Aegis Defence lines, and Trunk'hi, my Chaos Sorcerer, finishing off the last member of a short-lived assault squad! Rattaur, his familiar, and true general of the Chaos invasion force, watches sinisterly from his vantage point on the Deathguard Rhino!
In the second shot you can just see a small (but very brave) team of marines trying to get to the (badly wounded) Daemon Prince and finish him off before he can plant the Banner of Nurgle on the Imperial Bastion. Alas, it was not to be, and Chaos won the day. This is actually the first game we used the Aegis Defence lines, clipping them off the sprue to make use of them. They changed the game entirely. Planetstrike is not the same without them. What a shame I didn't get to use them when trying to defend my bastions from the Space Wolves beforehand! Apologies for the unpainted scenery in these shots. We are already planning 'Planetstrike Weekend MkII', the focus of which will be painted scenery and revised army lists in light of what we learnt about Planetstrike by playing through the entire book!
So, having learnt how NOT to play Planetstrike, I've been revising my army lists, both for the Attacking and Defending roles. Rattaur, displeased with Trunk'hi's showing over the course of the campaign (despite impressive results in previous games), has relieved him of further Planetstrike duties. I started a conversion for his replacement in the loft last night, stay tuned for that! Rattaur stands in the shadows and whispers instructions to me as I work..
The next time you hear from me, I will be showing a painted Planetstrike setup. I'll go over my army list changes and show you the new additions and conversions after our next campaign weekend - wouldn't want the enemy snooping beforehand would I?
-scott
Friday 19 November 2010
Dusk of War.
All is calm in the failing light, Captain Kreeg shivers in his command dugout a hand full of his staff beside him, gaze at the setting sun, the young Captain ponders his orders..
"How can we know what to expect sir!? They have told us so little.." Demands Lieutenant Slovak, his third in command.
The Captain turns to face his subordinate, a man even younger then himself, fresh out of the academy no doubt, he had returned from his first campaign by his age, a mere boy, how was he expected to use these men, he had only met them this morning, and now they sat upon the biggest threat to the sector in a millinia.
"Tell me sir! What should we do to prepare!
Kreeg turns to face the setting sun once more, putting his back to the young officer.
"SIR! ...your orders!" Slovak demands onces more.
"Nothing" he eventually replies under his breath .
"Sir there must be something we can do! How can we just sit here idle?"
"Those are my oders lieutenant"
"But sir!"
Turning with a such speed the lieutnant is nearly knocked off his feet in suprise, Kreeg bears down upon the with the vigour of a man possesed "Do you know what horrors lurk above this planet as we speak Lieutenant!?
Still reeling from the sudden animation of the Captain "No sir, thats why I want to know.."
The Captain turns once more to the view from out of the dugout.
"Sir please tell me what I can do to fight them, atleast tell me something about them.."
Then the relative warmth of the dugout is sucked out of the makeshift door as a man dressed in a black overcoat enters, no word is spoken to the man as he stands brushing the snow off his coat, the small glimpse of a red uniform underneath.
First to speak is the Captain, still with his back to the room, "Commissar"
The man still concerned with his appearance after a short pause replies "Captain"
"Permission to speak?" pipes up the Lieutenant as he strolls upto the man in black and presents himself bolt upright.
"Granted.." The Commissar offers.
"Sir, I believe Captain Kreeg has lost his nerve, he refuses to give us any information on what we face! Sir!"
The Commissar glances up at the Lieutenant "Is that so.."
"He also refuses to act, and issues no orders, Sir"
The Commissar nods at the young officer and turns to the Captain Kreeg.
"Sir, I believe the Captain has lost his nerve, or far worse.."
There sound of metal against damp leather as the commissar takes out his bolt pistol and cocks it.
"Sir, I believe the Captain.. "
The deafening howl of a bolt round leaving the barrel rips through the dugout.
The Commissar calmly holsters the ancient weapon back at his side. "No man shall question the will of the Emporer! Or any who serve him loyally!" The Commissar recites.
The young Lieutenants slumps to the ground with a look of shock, blood slowly trickles down his forhead.
The Commissar Kneels to pick up the shell of his bolt pistol and addresses the young officer for the last time, "No man loyal to the Emporer would want to know the horrors that Orbit this planet Lieutenant".
- Lieutenant Uskar Slovak, Helious 205th, Planetary Defence Force, First Casualty of Planetstrike weekend.
- Ollie
"How can we know what to expect sir!? They have told us so little.." Demands Lieutenant Slovak, his third in command.
The Captain turns to face his subordinate, a man even younger then himself, fresh out of the academy no doubt, he had returned from his first campaign by his age, a mere boy, how was he expected to use these men, he had only met them this morning, and now they sat upon the biggest threat to the sector in a millinia.
"Tell me sir! What should we do to prepare!
Kreeg turns to face the setting sun once more, putting his back to the young officer.
"SIR! ...your orders!" Slovak demands onces more.
"Nothing" he eventually replies under his breath .
"Sir there must be something we can do! How can we just sit here idle?"
"Those are my oders lieutenant"
"But sir!"
Turning with a such speed the lieutnant is nearly knocked off his feet in suprise, Kreeg bears down upon the with the vigour of a man possesed "Do you know what horrors lurk above this planet as we speak Lieutenant!?
Still reeling from the sudden animation of the Captain "No sir, thats why I want to know.."
The Captain turns once more to the view from out of the dugout.
"Sir please tell me what I can do to fight them, atleast tell me something about them.."
Then the relative warmth of the dugout is sucked out of the makeshift door as a man dressed in a black overcoat enters, no word is spoken to the man as he stands brushing the snow off his coat, the small glimpse of a red uniform underneath.
First to speak is the Captain, still with his back to the room, "Commissar"
The man still concerned with his appearance after a short pause replies "Captain"
"Permission to speak?" pipes up the Lieutenant as he strolls upto the man in black and presents himself bolt upright.
"Granted.." The Commissar offers.
"Sir, I believe Captain Kreeg has lost his nerve, he refuses to give us any information on what we face! Sir!"
The Commissar glances up at the Lieutenant "Is that so.."
"He also refuses to act, and issues no orders, Sir"
The Commissar nods at the young officer and turns to the Captain Kreeg.
"Sir, I believe the Captain has lost his nerve, or far worse.."
There sound of metal against damp leather as the commissar takes out his bolt pistol and cocks it.
"Sir, I believe the Captain.. "
The deafening howl of a bolt round leaving the barrel rips through the dugout.
The Commissar calmly holsters the ancient weapon back at his side. "No man shall question the will of the Emporer! Or any who serve him loyally!" The Commissar recites.
The young Lieutenants slumps to the ground with a look of shock, blood slowly trickles down his forhead.
The Commissar Kneels to pick up the shell of his bolt pistol and addresses the young officer for the last time, "No man loyal to the Emporer would want to know the horrors that Orbit this planet Lieutenant".
- Lieutenant Uskar Slovak, Helious 205th, Planetary Defence Force, First Casualty of Planetstrike weekend.
- Ollie
Sunday 14 November 2010
Chaos Space Marines - Army Complete
For the first time in twelve years, I have a painted army of over 2000 points. I painted the first plague marines for this army around three years ago. Crazy. Still, it's only really this year that I've been playing some actual games with old friends and seriously trying to finish things off. I've also been getting married and working too much, so, it's taken a while, but now it's done!
Here they are, awaiting planetfall in T-minus 5 days:
My painting desk is now clear. The slate is clean. This is a tantalising thing for me, I am in a happy state now, just wandering around in my mind picking things up off the shelves of my memory, looking them over, brushing the dust off...wondering what's next.
I know one thing for sure; next weekend is 'Planetstrike Weekend'.
What's the point in raising an army if you don't take it to war?
See you on the other side.
-scott
Here they are, awaiting planetfall in T-minus 5 days:
My painting desk is now clear. The slate is clean. This is a tantalising thing for me, I am in a happy state now, just wandering around in my mind picking things up off the shelves of my memory, looking them over, brushing the dust off...wondering what's next.
I know one thing for sure; next weekend is 'Planetstrike Weekend'.
What's the point in raising an army if you don't take it to war?
See you on the other side.
-scott
Friday 12 November 2010
T minus seven, update.
As we draw near to what is being hailed as the biggest thing ever to happen in my front room since the great Ork crusade of 2005, the Wolves are keeping up their oaths (was there ever any doubt?).
Pledges:-
6x Grey Hunters (Pack Vanaheimr) - fulfilled!
5x Missile Launcher Long Fangs (Council of the Wise) - fulfilled!
1x Long Fang pack leader (Sergeant Haakon) - fulfilled!
Rhino (Pack Vanaheimr). - fulfilled!
Razorback (Council of the Wise). - fulfilled!
1x Thunderwolf Cavalry
1x Rune Priest (Yurgen Thunderhowl).
2x Fenrisian Wolves.
Thats 4 models to go!
- Ollie
Pledges:-
6x Grey Hunters (Pack Vanaheimr) - fulfilled!
5x Missile Launcher Long Fangs (Council of the Wise) - fulfilled!
1x Long Fang pack leader (Sergeant Haakon) - fulfilled!
Rhino (Pack Vanaheimr). - fulfilled!
Razorback (Council of the Wise). - fulfilled!
1x Thunderwolf Cavalry
1x Rune Priest (Yurgen Thunderhowl).
2x Fenrisian Wolves.
Thats 4 models to go!
- Ollie
Tuesday 9 November 2010
Must...try...harder...to KILL MAIM BURN DESTROY !
Up in the loft, where the hobby happens, I am finishing my Chaos Vindicator. This is the final painting pledge for the impending 'Planetstrike weekend'. It's not going well, but I am happy about that. After all, the artist who never experiences technical difficulties must be content to stand still.
If I am getting things wrong and finding them difficult, I'm learning something and improving. Case in point, the Chaos Vindicator. I've only recently started experimenting with weathering powders, and I used far too many in the wash on the dozer blade. It looks awful, but I am learning less is more with these things and that they CAN look great. I am improving. Also, I am painting a yellow gold eight pointed star on the top of the vehicle, stretching arrow-heads down each side of the tank, Black Legion style. It is hard going, taking a long time, and I would absolutely do it in a very different order and a very different way next time around. Still, I've always wanted to do this, I am having fun, and I am learning.
My friend Ollie recently accused me of being complacent with my game. He said I "used sportsmanship as an excuse for sucking". I've been thinking about this. I am not a very good general, I lose more games than I win. Part of this is that I get to play about ten games in total PER YEAR so I am often rusty with the rules, the stats, and my tactics.
This is a factor of both my available free time, and the fact I have other things to do. I think at some point I did decide to compensate for being a bad general by trying my hardest to be as sportsmanlike as possible. I don't think this is a bad thing, nobody's about to complain about it, but what if Ollie's right? I'm now looking at it this way, if I spent some more time working on my army list in advance of a game, read the rulebook more often in my down time, and made a real effort to commit my more important stat lines to memory, maybe even researched 'the enemy' a little so they didn't confuse me so much.. maybe I would win a bonus game or two. At the same time, I'm sure I could hang on to my sportsmanship. So, ahead of 'Planetstrike weekend', I am making a real effort with my Attack and Defence lists, I am reading the rules, and I am memorising stats. We'll see if it does any good in, oh, ten days!?!
In real world news, I am almost finished with my contract in London, and glad of it. I will be having several weeks off over the Christmas period and starting new work closer to home in the new year, once I find it! I'm not complaining about being in work during a recession, but I am Tired. What's wrong with working hard for a wage and being Tired? Nothing, if it stops there, but I think there are more wonderful things in life to be enjoyed than a fifteen hour day and no time or space either end of it to live your life and be with your family. There's working to live, and living to work. The wedding is paid for, so I am done with that and looking forward to a 9 to 6 again (I've never had a 9 to 5, can anybody confirm they even exist?).
I miss passion in my work. People with jobs they hate will laugh at that, something like "Nobody likes their job, moron, get used to it". Sorry to disappoint but some people do like their jobs, some even love them. I did. When I joined the games industry ten years ago, it was all I wanted to do for quite some time. That's long gone. I don't even play video games anymore. Time to get out for good. I'd rather be a good engineer on something I have never cared about, and simply take pride in my work, than bust a gut doing something I don't love anymore - but used to.
This winter, I am a miniature painter for a living. I don't expect to make any money, but nobody said jobs you love had to pay a wage. ;)
-Scott
p.s. I think it would do me good to paint something VERY different to my usual comfort zone of Chaos Marines and Greenskins. Any suggestions? In fact, commissions would be even better.. ;)
If I am getting things wrong and finding them difficult, I'm learning something and improving. Case in point, the Chaos Vindicator. I've only recently started experimenting with weathering powders, and I used far too many in the wash on the dozer blade. It looks awful, but I am learning less is more with these things and that they CAN look great. I am improving. Also, I am painting a yellow gold eight pointed star on the top of the vehicle, stretching arrow-heads down each side of the tank, Black Legion style. It is hard going, taking a long time, and I would absolutely do it in a very different order and a very different way next time around. Still, I've always wanted to do this, I am having fun, and I am learning.
My friend Ollie recently accused me of being complacent with my game. He said I "used sportsmanship as an excuse for sucking". I've been thinking about this. I am not a very good general, I lose more games than I win. Part of this is that I get to play about ten games in total PER YEAR so I am often rusty with the rules, the stats, and my tactics.
This is a factor of both my available free time, and the fact I have other things to do. I think at some point I did decide to compensate for being a bad general by trying my hardest to be as sportsmanlike as possible. I don't think this is a bad thing, nobody's about to complain about it, but what if Ollie's right? I'm now looking at it this way, if I spent some more time working on my army list in advance of a game, read the rulebook more often in my down time, and made a real effort to commit my more important stat lines to memory, maybe even researched 'the enemy' a little so they didn't confuse me so much.. maybe I would win a bonus game or two. At the same time, I'm sure I could hang on to my sportsmanship. So, ahead of 'Planetstrike weekend', I am making a real effort with my Attack and Defence lists, I am reading the rules, and I am memorising stats. We'll see if it does any good in, oh, ten days!?!
In real world news, I am almost finished with my contract in London, and glad of it. I will be having several weeks off over the Christmas period and starting new work closer to home in the new year, once I find it! I'm not complaining about being in work during a recession, but I am Tired. What's wrong with working hard for a wage and being Tired? Nothing, if it stops there, but I think there are more wonderful things in life to be enjoyed than a fifteen hour day and no time or space either end of it to live your life and be with your family. There's working to live, and living to work. The wedding is paid for, so I am done with that and looking forward to a 9 to 6 again (I've never had a 9 to 5, can anybody confirm they even exist?).
I miss passion in my work. People with jobs they hate will laugh at that, something like "Nobody likes their job, moron, get used to it". Sorry to disappoint but some people do like their jobs, some even love them. I did. When I joined the games industry ten years ago, it was all I wanted to do for quite some time. That's long gone. I don't even play video games anymore. Time to get out for good. I'd rather be a good engineer on something I have never cared about, and simply take pride in my work, than bust a gut doing something I don't love anymore - but used to.
This winter, I am a miniature painter for a living. I don't expect to make any money, but nobody said jobs you love had to pay a wage. ;)
-Scott
p.s. I think it would do me good to paint something VERY different to my usual comfort zone of Chaos Marines and Greenskins. Any suggestions? In fact, commissions would be even better.. ;)
Saturday 6 November 2010
Pledge Complete - Chaos Terminators
My squad of Chaos Terminators are finished. These are the first models I have magnetised. The weight of the 'old school' lead metal does roate the heavier arms downward but I intend to fix that with small pins that lock into place beside the magnets, should I find it annoying during play. Once they rotate down and rest on the knee armour they don't tend to move anyway, but I haven't used them in a game yet, so we'll see.
With my painting time being limited of late I have had to 'rush' through some of these miniatures faster than I usually would, but the experience has been a good one. I've learnt that going faster and leaving out certain details entirely does not actually lead to a relative degradation in the final result.
Things look better when viewed together as a whole squad. I've learnt I can paint much quicker than I thought I could and still get pleasing results. None of the Terminators stand up to individual inspection, but they look really good together.
If you usually take a long time to paint things, because of attention to detail or because you also like to paint for display and those habits get pulled over to your tabletop painting, try pushing yourself to hit a deadline and do things more simply. You'll be surprised how well things turn out despite your 'cutting corners'.
Remember, any individual square inch of the Sistine Chapel is pretty unimpressive - but the effect of the whole thing is awesome.
-Scott
With my painting time being limited of late I have had to 'rush' through some of these miniatures faster than I usually would, but the experience has been a good one. I've learnt that going faster and leaving out certain details entirely does not actually lead to a relative degradation in the final result.
Things look better when viewed together as a whole squad. I've learnt I can paint much quicker than I thought I could and still get pleasing results. None of the Terminators stand up to individual inspection, but they look really good together.
If you usually take a long time to paint things, because of attention to detail or because you also like to paint for display and those habits get pulled over to your tabletop painting, try pushing yourself to hit a deadline and do things more simply. You'll be surprised how well things turn out despite your 'cutting corners'.
Remember, any individual square inch of the Sistine Chapel is pretty unimpressive - but the effect of the whole thing is awesome.
-Scott
Nobody likes Scatter Dice
They're rarely used for anything unimportant and are impossible to interpret in a way that makes both players happy. They were invented to scatter a given position (blast origin etc.) within a circle of a certain radius. Take a moment to think of all the times you've looked at the arrow on a scatter dice, then at the line of a tape measure your opponent is holding out, wondered how they couldn't be more different, and then heard your fellow gamer say something like, "Just about there I think, right?"
You nod, because of all the times you've tried to argue it and spent the next twenty minutes struggling to get above a 6'x4' board for an aerial view, which is the only way to make scatter dice work.
Before starting a game we discuss the terrain with our friends. We do this because differences of opinion during a game can slow things down and sour the mood. It's not that your friend is trying to fleece you, it's simply not possible to hold that tape measure along the line of a tiny dice's printed arrow with enough accuracy to look right from wherever you stand, and whichever side you happen to be commanding!
We want to scatter things, but we want to avoid any opportunities for bad feeling. Here are two alternatives to think about.
'Friendly Scatter'
Our goal is to take a chosen position on the table and scatter it within a circle of a given radius.
- Looking at the origin of the scatter from your own table edge, roll a D2 to determine if it goes left or right (e.g. odds on a D6 go left and evens go right).
- Place the destination marker left or right of the scatter's origin, parallel to the table edges, by as many inches as a dice roll up to and including what the the game rules say the position should scatter (e.g. if you are scattering 4", roll a d4, if you're scattering 5", roll a D6 and ignore 6s, it's easy).
- Roll a D2 for 'away' or 'nearer', make another dice roll, and move parallel to the board sides this time.
- The result is where the scatter lands. No arrow dice.
You still use a tape measure to move the scatter horizontally, and veritcally, but movement is always made parallel to board edges. Modular boards are more common these days, so you often have a line to follow within 12" of where you are scattering. If it comes to it, you can lay the tape measure out long and check both ends are the same distance from the board edge you're moving parallel to. If they are, it's straight, otherwise it's not. There is no such easy option when trying to align to a printed arrow on a dice laying behind some woods on the other side of the table.
The position scatters to any point on an inch-grid within a square of the distance chosen. This area is slightly larger than that of a circle of the same radius, making the scatter slightly wider in terms of board space, and for example, blast weapons very slightly less effective. I prefer this to bad feeling between players.
'Fast Blast'
For scattering blast templates quickly and easily, choose another valid target within 'D6+firer's BS' inches of the scatter origin. Hit that target instead. If there is no valid target within range, the blast has no effect. Higher BS shots do not 'scatter further', rather you have more choice and opportunity to hit something because your circle of choice is slightly larger (a BS of 4 outweighs the average D6 roll of 3).
Whatever you hit, it's second choice to what you were firing at so technically you've still 'missed', but again, no arrow dice, no arguments, the game keeps moving, and this time the shot scattered in a circle. This makes blast weapons very slightly more effective, which again, I prefer to bad feeling between players.
-Scott
-Scott
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)