How do we organise games on Oldhammer Day?

How do we organise games on the day?

  • I want the organisers to do it all for me - I just want to pitch up and be told what to do and where

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • I want to find my own opponent, but I want someone to prepare the scenario for me

    Votes: 1 9.1%
  • I want to arrange everything myself/with my chosen opponent

    Votes: 1 9.1%
  • Other (Please leave a comment)

    Votes: 6 54.5%

  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .

weazil

Moderator
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you about the day and 'interpret' the poll results.

I use 'interpret' loosely. Anyone reading the polls would be clear on the sort of things we should be offering:

So the ideal weekend seems to look something like this:

1 Day of 'big' wargaming - normal WFB3 with armies > 30 or so figures.
1 Day of 'skirmish' wargaming - smaller WFB3 based skirmishes - it seems especially focussed on the Realms of Chaos.

Within these 2 days, a lot of people wanted the option to pitch up and just play in some participation or demo games - even with a view to learn 3rd edition.

The 'big' games could be engaged in two ways:

  • Normal big game - two gamers arrange to play against each other with a certain size of game/scenario in mind.
    RoC big game - one 'big' army facing many smaller 'skirmisher' forces who have collectively formed a larger force.
    RoC big game - two sides comprised of many 'skirmisher' forces fighting against each other.

The smaller games will most likely be focussed on RoC. Individual warbands face off against each other, or possibly two warbands face off against two other warbands. I believe many players will be able to offer spare warbands to allow players without figures to participate.

The demo games pretty much depend on members of the community bringing a scenario and some armies to supply that scenario and allow people to participate in what will probably be a GM'd game (as the figures will need to be babysat). Thantsants' Bloodbath at Orc's Drift is a good example of this - layout the scenario and allow players to just jump in. I would suggest any of the scenarios from 2nd ed, or possibly Forenrond's Last Stand (the game described in the back of the WFB3 rulebook).

Initially, I had thought to try and make very solid arrangements around the games, setting house rules, selection criteria for RoC forces, predetermination of who will fight who, but I realised that I was dangerously close to tournament thinking.

One thing that absolutely cannot happen is for tournament thinking to invade this event!

So, it feels like the right approach is actually to allow players to decide what sort of thing they would like to do. I think there should be some pre-determination of who will play who, but not based on anything other than one player on this forum contacting another and saying 'Hi I want to beat your face in with my Dark Elves, please say yes?'

This is not to say that this can't be done on the day, but by having this sort of arrangement, it allows players to construct a suitable style, scenario, size of game, etc that would work for them. For instance, it might be that you only have 1000 pts of painted figures available. You can simply post that you'd want to play at that size and wait for someone else to either say 'yes you can beat my face in' or 'how about we play a scenario where you have 1000pts and I have 5000pts and you have to survive for 4 turns' or 'if you can find another player with another 1000pt army like that then I'll play the two of you together' - you get the idea.

The main reason I'd recommend this is that players don't have to waste any time on the day trying to work a game out. That's not to say that if you just pitch up, you can't play - its just a way of setting a scenario and try to create the sort of game you want to play. You might even be able to post the two forces up here and ask someone to create a scenario for you.

I think this is a nice approach as it allows people to post what figures they have (or plan to have - it is 6 months away, after all), allowing people to choose games they would like to play. One could even add plogs to allow the community to watch the game develop. Virulent trash talking is recommended!

Which means that the only games that will be arranged by the organisers (me?) will be the demo games.

So the question is - do we feel that the self determination is the right approach - or, are we still thinking some level of organisation centrally is the right thing?
 
For the RoC part of the event. I am going to advocate a pitched battle between all the warbands, rather than a piecemeal affair. Obviously this depends on numbers.

1-10 warbands could easily account for a large game on a multi-table set up. The more players, the more battle tables we could arrange. With a narrative component fore planned (probably linking a Khorne vs Slaanesh theme) with victory points awarded as rewards from the gods. The most rewards would equal the winning side. Nurgle and Tzeentch warbands could easily be allied in with suitable hidden objectives.

RoC will just not work as a series of small games. This kind of mentality is too much like the tournament view that we have worked so hard against.

Just my two pence.
 
Yeah, I buy that. I think it would be easier and I think it would be more fun. I daresay they easiest type of game to play at home would be an RoC skirmish - one should definitely capitalise on the ability to play larger games whilst in Nottingham - it might be one's only opportunity in 2013! I'm also watching the progress of your Khorne 'army' - the one with the 8 thugs, 8 warriors, etc - not so much a warband but a functional extract from the army lists - these would make ideal building blocks for a larger chaos army led by warbands.
 
Sounds good to me - some pre-determination would be a good thing and like you say avoid wandering about wasting gaming time trying to find an opponent.

Orc's Drift is all good to go - I have the scenery, miniatures (best put some matt varnish on them before the event!) and all the players scenario sheets ready so consider that one organised. I'll just need a least a couple of players for each scenario and I'm good to go.

Don't know whether its worth players "booking" a place for a scenario on a first come - first served basis before the big day?
 
Thantsants, have you thought of just running the beast as an exhibition game only? Its looks incredible in photographs and is certainly the sort of thing I'd love to see being played.
 
I have not played 3rd edition before (thought I hope to have before the event.. Harry Im looking at you!) So I voted for number 1; however I realise this puts a tremendous weight on a few people.. So I would be more than happy to go and just watch.

Regards
Whisper
 
I'm lazy so i wouldn't mind it all sorted out for me, but then again i'm going not to play but to meet people and hopefully grab a few bits of lead people might bring with them to sell.
 
I voted for "Other" because I'm quite happy to both play and to help run games. I have a decent-sized Khorne warband which will see the paintbrush after mid-July. I've got a copy of the 3rd ed rules and I'm more than happy to brush up on them as well and help out running any of the games if needs be.

For the proposed large game I'd advise it being set up in such a way that people aren't stuck at the table for hours and can break off to chat, browse and so on. That applies to both the people playing in it and the people running it.
 
I'm all for others sorting things out so I voted for "1", however I probably should've also voted for "Other".

What am I after?

* Ideally a game I can play in a day, so 1k to 1.5k in size.
* I prefer fluffy battles with objectives over pitched battles, so scenarios suit me. Off the top of my head fighting my way out of an ambush might be fun. :)
* Max level 15 for characters.
* Max level 2 for magic.
* Army lists made using Warhammer Armies with the WD amendments (I forget the exact issue they're in).
* If possible I'd like to play against an opponent who uses mainly classic models. I.e. My Undead army is 99% 2nd/3rd edition era models.

Beyond that my Undead army has no preference to whichever enemy it slowly shambles towards. But be warned.. I have a LOT of zombies. :grin:

I guess I'll do some builds for 1k and 1.5k and work out what still needs painting and what I can squeeze in around other painting projects.
 
With out wanting to jump the gun on this Bug16 I guess I want the same as you for the first day a solid game of 3rd using old lead. I know many people aren't into the old lead thing or perhaps its beyond their pocket. But let us also remember that for some the old game is only half the old hammer. The lead is where it's at for me.

I'd happily challenge your undead Bug16 if people are happy with us just going ahead and doing that. Given you have no preference for enemies I could just turn up with something but I can field most armies, including undead, that may be a bit boring though. If you had an idea of the sort of fluff surrounding your army I could see what I've got that could fit in with that, 1.5k sounds fine though 2k is always better I'm sure we would get through it..
 
Erny":2zpvis63 said:
With out wanting to jump the gun on this Bug16 I guess I want the same as you for the first day a solid game of 3rd using old lead. I know many people aren't into the old lead thing or perhaps its beyond their pocket. But let us also remember that for some the old game is only half the old hammer. The lead is where it's at for me.

I'd happily challenge your undead Bug16 if people are happy with us just going ahead and doing that. Given you have no preference for enemies I could just turn up with something but I can field most armies, including undead, that may be a bit boring though. If you had an idea of the sort of fluff surrounding your army I could see what I've got that could fit in with that, 1.5k sounds fine though 2k is always better I'm sure we would get through it..

Erny, that sounds like a plan! :) The only reason I didn't say 2k is because my memory isn't what it used to be and I do tend to confuse myself with the rules a bit as my brain is still wired to 2nd edition meaning that I'll be referencing the rulebook in game.

My painted Undead army is very infantry heavy but I should be able to get my cavalry painted up in time along with some more archers. I'll put my thinking cap with my fluff!

I'd love to bring my Dark Elves (again all 2nd/3rd edition models) because I prefer how the army plays but my entire DE army needs painting from scratch and I just can't see me managing that in time! Even so, I'll make up some army lists for it anyway and see if it's feasible.
 
Argh

hope you didn't think I meant undead were boring, just undead Vs undead.

Happy to play against undead, dark elves, any thing really.

Quite tempted to bring orcs and goblins as I'm slowly, painfully re-painting them at the moment but a classic undead vs some sort of, "goodie" is tempting. If I can get myself in gear and paint up my old empire lead (pre the classic perry stuff released in the final months of 3rd) I may bring that.
 
Excellent! This is exactly what I was talking about. So you are now starting to flesh out what sort of game you want to play. You could just say 1500 pts of Undead vs. 1500 pts of Orcs - you'll have a great game and everything will be fine.

But, you could take this a step further.

Lets imagine...

Lets say that your vampire (lets call him Vernon the Vampire) nad his small force (~1400 pts) has been chased for many days by an advancing orc horde (~3000 pts (what the hell, its fantasy, right?)). The orcs (led by Bumchop the Benevolent) are trying to sell their land to another orc tribe and they can't very well do that if there's a pesky vampire hanging around now, can they?

Vernon decides to head deep into a swamp where he knows an old shrine to Cammell, the god of smoke and death. If he is able get there and invoke the god in time, Cammell will no doubt slaughter the orcs for Vernon, in exchange for 101 years of personal service.

So you would set up the undead in the middle of the table (swampy terrain), with a shrine or temple on a hill in the middle. Vernon needs to spend 4 turns in base to base with the shrine - if he does so, then he is able to cast Wind of Death in the magic phase of the 4th turn.

The orcs must try to kill Vernon - they are aware he is doing dastardly deeds and know they must hurry. Because of the swampy terrain, they can't bring any war machines.

The wind of death will probably dramatically change the shape of the orc army leading to it being more of a match for the undead, so both armies have to take cognisance of the time limit and do whatever they can to cast/stop the spell.

There's an example of slightly different army construction (1400 pts + a suitable vampire) facing off against a numerically superior army that has to assault, because they don't have warmachines. Swampy scenery will create bottlenecks for the undead to defent, giving both players a sense of achievability, with the time limit creating tension.

Anyway, that's just an example of two players organising a game (or getting a 3rd pty to do it) here on the forum that matches your available figures.

Just a thought :)
 
Nice scenario Gaj - it'll be great seeing match-ups like this evolve in the run up to the big day!

Thantsants, have you thought of just running the beast as an exhibition game only? Its looks incredible in photographs and is certainly the sort of thing I'd love to see being played.

I'd certainly be happy either way but should folk like to come along and want a quickish game I'd love to be able to accommodate them.

Perhaps an addition to the sign up sheet might be an idea - you could time table the scenarios pretty easily as they only take a couple of hours or so to play through.
Kachas Pass - Sat am
Ashak Rise - Sat early pm
Linden Way - Sat late pm (4 pm'ish?)
Orc's Drift - Sun for as long as it takes!
 
Erny":3h3pq9ep said:
Argh

hope you didn't think I meant undead were boring, just undead Vs undead.

Happy to play against undead, dark elves, any thing really.

Quite tempted to bring orcs and goblins as I'm slowly, painfully re-painting them at the moment but a classic undead vs some sort of, "goodie" is tempting. If I can get myself in gear and paint up my old empire lead (pre the classic perry stuff released in the final months of 3rd) I may bring that.

LOL! Don't worry I didn't think you meant Undead were boring. :) I've been playing Undead since 1st edition (although my army was *tiny* back then) and sometimes I do enjoy a change of pace with my DE's.

Orcs or Empire work for me, both were fantastic ranges back in the day and will look great on the table, but I don't mind whatever is used.

@weazil - I really like that idea! :) In terms of what I can field, I can field pretty much anything in the Undead army. It just comes down to whether or not I can pull my finger out and paint it in time. I'm not overly fussed about creating a killer list, I just want to field an interesting looking army that'll be fun to play with.

Finally.. I've had the nod from 'er indoors regarding the weekend so it's all looking very positive!
 
I voted 'other'. A mix of option 1 and 2 seems best to me. I have a large beastmen army that could take on suitable challengers if someone would like to defend a small town at the edge of the Empire (or similar)? My collection is contemporary - current models - but with a deeply oldhammer vibe. If anyone's interested we can begin to cook up a story and share some unit background and photos, etc. I can run some background games against my brother's Ogre army to really get some history behind the rampaging herd.

Another option is that I use this as an excuse to develop a larger Slaaneshi army...
 
Hi all

I see that there are more votes for 'other' than anything else, which suggests that I'm asking the wrong questions. It feels like we understand the suggestions, but either there is too broad a spread of interest, or chances are we're all so easy going that we don't really mind - i.e, we're not asking for what we want - we're being polite.

I think there are some good ideas posted here, but I suspect that this poll will not be of any value.

I'll go back to the drawing board with this and come back with some better suggestions.
 
All this talk of undead reminded me I have this little lot. :grin:

The pyramid complex was built for a siege game.

IMG_0278.jpg


IMG_0292.jpg


IMG_0298.jpg


IMG_0295.jpg


If I had a van I could bring the whole thing. :grin:
 
On topic .... I want to contribute what I can.
I can bring some oldhammer armies, scenery, a Bloodbowl stadium.
What I am not very good at (because I don't get to play much) is knowing the rules ... running games .... that sort of thing.
So someone else needs to bring that. :grin:

Got to play to our strengths.
 
Hi Harry

This looks very good!

I think the thing thats throwing is the split between regular warhammer (army vs. army) and the RoC warband 'thing'. I think we all get the RoC idea - it is the Ansells, it is the 25th anniversary and so on, so its absolutely right that we do it, but it feels hard to merge the two. I think that's what is muddying the water. So, I'm working to understand how the warband approach will work, because once that's cracked, the rest will fit just nicely.

Thanks for the offer - I absolutely will contact you with regards to scenery and your ability to provide - just as soon as I've got the gaming details sorted out.
 
Back
Top