Thursday, June 13, 2013

OK This week I was playing War – machine and the art of the game finally click.
This week I was playing and I made a mistake, nothing big. It was a command loop and control mistake that made everything clicked. All of the sudden I saw the game as I had seen it the first time I lays eyes on it. This was the game that filled me with promise of something to test tactical theory. Not just something to line up, shoot and pick up models.  War-machine has something that rise above the number, a solo, a squad, a steam power robot or a battle commander all can turn the tide of battle or can be the lost if out of position.  
Khador's Spriggan Warjacks on the move



 I lost but the action and reaction fell in place and the tempo was perfect. Let be clear, I really like this game it has an elegant system that really is a great reflection on war. In it structure it show a well thought out design that lends itself to a brutal application of war.  It not perfect, and the company is responding with rules changes for the increase of scope by the introduction of Unbound rules.
This is a game that is challenge at the smallest level, 15 point to the unbound level of 200 points. 

It also a game that can be played not only as a two player but as two teams; four to six players.
But the great thing I like about this game is the buy in price; while the grandfather of Miniature sci-fi war games can cost as much as $3,000 to $8,000 to play seriously, the buy in price for this one can be as small as 1/10 the price and you only need about $150 to get started.  A starter box, the main rule book and a few singles or 1 squad box and you can start having serious fun