You see, while I'm not the world's best player, I can win at least as many games as I lose. I even won a national tournament several decades ago, in a national teams WW2 event. There are many cleverer gamers out there, but I can usually do OK on the win/lose stakes. Maybe I am using the wrong criteria to judge the game? Although I have to say that after 40 years of gaming, winning/losing still does it for me (although NOT at the expense of the other player's enjoyment).
Of course it's just as likely that I just need to get a lot more experience with WFB armies and rules, but I find several rules mechanisms irritating, not least the arc of sight rule. How can a large unit of troops NOT be aware of an enemy unit on its flank, just because they are outside the 45 degree arc to its front? I feel pretty sure that you'd know. Is the argument that a majority of the troops in the unit can't see that flank, and so the unit as a whole is unaware of the flank threat? I think they might talk inside that block of troops.... Maybe that mechanism has a higher objective: guard your flanks. OK, I can accept that, but the size of game doesn't exactly leave you with the capability to guard flanks easily. I have played the flank game regularly in Spearhead, and am pretty good at guarding, and attacking, flanks. I can even do this in the DB games systems like HotT and DBA, a system that is very different to WFB. I don't seem to be able to make this work in WFB. Maybe someone with experience can instruct me..
And how come I can hit a unit in the rear, and still get my b...s handed to me on a plate? What's that all about then?
Yep.. maybe some more experienced player needs to take me in hand, and instruct me in the subtleties of the rules and the game ..... I certainly need it.
I'd like to leave a clever comment along the lines of "Nice miniatures, shame about the game"...ha! I just have!
ReplyDeleteNick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM1c7YSizjU
Thanks Nick,. very helpful;..LOL
ReplyDeleteGame system mechanics aside Nick, WFB is through and through a game of maneuvre. Dwarves aren't and never have been the most competitive or successful of armies due to this. My own opinion of Dwarves (and I've been quite successful with WFB over the past 15 years) is that they can draw games or lose them, but rarely win big unless up against an absolute "bunny" of a player.
ReplyDeleteHistorical Gamers (at least here in NZ) seem to usually have done particularly well when it comes to playing WFB, but none of them play dwarves. Seriously - they're crap.
Have you tried any other armies? You may find something like Empire or Orcs n Goblins much more enjoyable...
Oops - sorry Robin, I called you Nick in the previous post. Doh!
ReplyDeleteHave a talk to Darren (Warpmaster) if you know him... he may be able to show you a few more of the intricacies of WFB if you are interested.
Phil
ReplyDeleteDwarves.. hmm.. have I chosen a 'bunny'? I was attracted to the Dwarves primarily because of that SI war-games forum thread some time ago that promoted the view that they are boring to play with.. I'd figured that maybe the players were just using stereotypical tactics..
maybe I'm wrong.. I wonder if I'm going to enjoy this?
On the other issue,.,. I have to say I find the Empire army an attractive looking option.. Hmmm..pondering..
BTW.. interesting that you should say WFB is a game of movement... my approach to the Dwarves is to try to regain some of that movement by using Miners, Gyrocopter and Dogs of War LC... maybe not enough though?
ReplyDelete