I think I'm addicted...

To miniature gaming! Haaaaaa...haa...hmph.  Good morning fellow war-gamers it's too early in the morning for me and I hope you all have a cup of coffee as well. It's been a bit since the last post and since then it's been hectic (was in a car accident with a totaled car but at least I'm here!) so let's get started.

This is also true, but games as well!

As you all might now I have invested into several different games from prior posts.  I'm sure we all have at some point been like this.  A warhammer army here...a warmachine force there...oh look Infinity...etc.  I think for some of us it's a continual cycle of interest, investment, and commitment.  That's not to say we lost complete interest in the games before, heavens no!  I'll still throw down a game of 40k if asked even though it's not the game I am most into right now as an example.

So where does this lead us today folks?  Well I wanted to talk a bit about some games that I've been wanting to get into but haven't reached the investment part yet.  Right now we are still in the interest phase of things and these are games I do not have forces/models for.  So let's have it, in order of current addiction!

Dark Age

An example of some of the updated models

Ah yes Dark Age, the post-apocalyptic grimdark skirmish game from Cool Mini or Not (CMoN) or at least they own the rights.  I'm not sure what the story is from what someone was once telling me about it, but either way they have the game now.  Takes place on a planet that was otherwise forgotten about by the bulk of civilization and subsequently technology and life have suffered from it.  Currently there are about 6 main factions with some have multiple subfactions that have certain model choice/playstyles.  I actually have made an attempt to get into this game once before a couple of years ago.  The model quality back then was very lacking in terms of being easy to assemble and so out of frustration I gave up, as well as my group.  Flash forward a couple years and I'm looking back into it, albeit with more caution than I did before.  I've been assured that the quality has improved and I can tell that there have been some updates model-wise.  Rule wise it's easy to get into and the core rules are not too complicated, CMoN seems to put the depth of the game with the model special rules than core game mechanics. 

 

Wrath of Kings

I believe this represents some of the 5 factions

Another CMoN, I've heard a lot of good things about this game and its growing popularity.  I'm also sure CMoN's game philosophy is to make the rules easy to pick up but the complexity is placed with the models.  Currently the gameplay is quick, easy, and brutal.  Game sizes are (from my understanding) open ended to be as large or as small as you'd like.  The game aesthetics are varied and with the current 5 factions it is likely that there is a force that someone would be drawn to.  I don't want to say it's your typical fantasy game because I don't feel like it is.  The factions have some uniqueness to them that I am having a hard time placing their influence from (I'm sure it's out there) but nevertheless is refreshing.

Malifaux

I love the models I have to say

 

I like Malifaux.  It's not something I've easily come to grips since the first time someone explained the game to me.  "It's a skirmish game...with caaaaards!"  Well I was not impressed.  After a few demo games I have to say the car mechanic has grown on me.  The models have also gone through an improvement and now that the rules are in their second edition Malifaux has been growing as a game.  The models look great unless you are not into the whole Victorian-era gothic stuff but they are well done and from my understanding have generally migrated to plastic making assembly and conversion work easy-peasy.  I also love the way you setup a game.  You start off by generating your scenario and scheme, reveal your faction of choice, and then come up with your list.  It encourages building a list for what you need to accomplish while trying to guess what the other player will be bringing, and that is a good thing I would say.  The only thing keeping me from getting into this game has been the uncertainty that the local scene is active enough to warrant it.  Maybe I'll figure that out in the future.

 

Firestorm Planetfall/Armada

Firestorm Planetfall Directorate I believe?

 

I've included both games as my last potential addiction because I think they both serve to curb that itch of large scale combat in small scale minis.  Spartan Games did a pretty decent job of picking up where Games Workshop left when they dropped Battlefleet Gothic and Epic 40k from their focus (I've heard of their impending return though) but I believe that the major issue with these two has been their lack of impetus in the North American scene.  Don't get me wrong I am sure there are many out there who play but here in my local area it's almost unheard of.  Still I love the idea of commanding a fleet of vessels and firing broadsides into the enemy ships.  Simultaneously I love the idea of commanding squadrons of vehicles and infantry blocks to secure objectives on a planet.  From my novice observations it appears that Planetfall has the stronger sense of diversity in terms of faction playstyles, but as a novice I could be wrong in that presumption.  Still I admire Spartan Games for their efforts and would be interested in seeing how they progress in the future with these IPs.

 

So that about covers my current level of interest in other games.  As you all know I am fully invested in some other games with the community being active to varying degrees.  I am sure that in the near future I will be getting into Dark Age and Wrath of Kings since there is a meta in the area.  As for Malifaux and Firestorm well until I feel like I can get some games in occasionally they will continue to sit at the interest phase.  What about you all, what games are you interested in and where do you feel like they are at?  Until then have a safe one gamers and happy gaming!