Topic: How on earth do you pick an army in AOS?

[Crimsonsphinx]

Pretty simple question, but noone in my group has a clue!

Looking at the back there are some armies, are we to assume that is what you field?  Nothing limits the size of units!

Also, there are tons of warscrolls you can't use.  Are they for different games?

Nagash appears to be the most brokenest thing, since broken things ever existed.  Game balance?  What is to stop Undead players taking him as a scroll? I can't really work it out!

[Ambrose]

I'm not sure if what you are asking.  Are you asking how do you decide what miniatures to take?
If so, take whatever miniatures you wish.  Just pick the models you want, get their warscroll, and off you go.  Put them on the table to play and throw dice!

Or are you saying what armies (race) to take?  Again, I think the answer is the same.  Take the models you would like, get the warscrolls for them, and put them on the table.  Throw dice!

Ambrose

[Midaski]

Join the club Crim

You're as confused as everyone else .............. just a few days later than most ............ 

[LochNESS]

Join the club Crim

You're as confused as everyone else .............. just a few days later than most ............ 

Jup, couldn't agree more. You'll have to agree with your friends, enemies or whatever on what YOU think is fair game...

[harv]

Take what you want and how much of what you want. There is no limit or reasoning behind any of it. Which I think is the point of the game. Just field stuff roll some dice.

If you want to take 20 steam tanks take them 

[Crimsonsphinx]

That is it?  Theres no balance!

If you take Nagash, he will single handedly wipe entire armies out.  With ease.  Even the other ridiculously OP End Times characters like Franz are no match.  I best get my lead clown Nagash painted!

I am later, because I didn't bother looking at the rules till today.  I pretty much only play 40k these days....

I assumed there was a rule somewhere that said you take X amount of scrolls or something like that but I couldn't find it.

[Oxycutor]

Pretty simple question, but noone in my group has a clue!

Looking at the back there are some armies, are we to assume that is what you field?  Nothing limits the size of units!

Also, there are tons of warscrolls you can't use.  Are they for different games?

Nagash appears to be the most brokenest thing, since broken things ever existed.  Game balance?  What is to stop Undead players taking him as a scroll? I can't really work it out!

Which warscrolls are you not able to use? and why do you think they are for different games?

[Crimsonsphinx]

I assumed, perhaps stupidly, that the formations were for AOS and the named characters etc were for a bigger, non skirmish game coming out in the future.

[LochNESS]

I assumed, perhaps stupidly, that the formations were for AOS and the named characters etc were for a bigger, non skirmish game coming out in the future.

Nope, you can use anything and everything... Which might very nice for a long game against Soth... or very short as after turn one he has shot your army to nothingness using the awesome might of his splendidness....

[GenOmar]

play whatever you want, as long as you have the model and the warscroll.
keep putting units until you have what you want to play with, just be aware if you are leaving yourself open to a SUDDEN DEATH VICTORY condition

[Crimsonsphinx]

I really don't know what to say.  I was kind of interested in this, assuming there was some form of balance in terms of what scrolls or even numbers of scrolls were being used.

As it is, I am struggling to see how this can even be a game!

[Darknight]

Speak with your opponent and come up with something you mutually agree will make for a fun game. That seems to be the suggestion coming from GW (from multiple sources I have seen).

You don't "pick an army" in the sense we are used - this isn't like Warhammer 1st to 8th or 40K. There isn't "game balance" in that sense. It is a game of selecting what looks appropriate and will be fun.

As it is, I am struggling to see how this can even be a game!

It's not a "game" in the sense of Warhammer 1st to 8th. It's a game in the sense of "an entertaining diversion". I really think it is more a game of cooperation rather than competition. It requires players to discuss and agree on more than a points value and time & place to play.

[TexasYankee]

play whatever you want, as long as you have the model and the warscroll.
keep putting units until you have what you want to play with, just be aware if you are leaving yourself open to a SUDDEN DEATH VICTORY condition

Alas, even the sudden death victory conditions are ineffective. My group and many others have decided that you really need to get with your opponent beforehand (kinda like a conference call or old school mob sit-down) and decide what it is you are going to bring. Other than that, it gets pretty silly. Looking to play my 2nd game tonight, I'll let you know how it goes.

[Sig]

Why take one Nagash when you could take ten?

[harv]

Warhammer and GW games in general attract power players exploiting every bit of cheese they can find like flies to poo. If it can be abused within the rules it will be by the majority of people you come across.

Now imagine playing these people in a game with effectively no rules that needs to be self policed 

[Padre]

@ Darknight: Your definition of what's an entertaining diversion and mine must be very different. I find nothing to entertain me here. Back when I was aged 8 playing airfix toy soldiers with lego and mechano terrain then yeah, this is what it was like. Put stuff down, anything down, and play at 'war'. But for an adult looking for a game of some sort, no. If I wrack my brain to find an adult equivalent, the best I can come up with is that this equates to drunken party nonsense games. I have nothing against the latter, having enjoyed many a bit of foolishness in my days, but I wouldn't try such silly games with carefully painted figures, nor would I expect anyone at a party to say that the game looks like a good idea.

I have been struggling so hard to find a way in which adults can use AoS. I just don't see it. I wouldn't expect them to want to play a let's pretend and make silly noises game with playmobile toys or He Man dolls, and this game seems to be created on exactly that level.

[Syphon]

I've heard it said that a dowsing rod can be used to find the army that's right for you.

[Ambrose]

I think it is important to try the rules.  I don't think Nagash is as powerful as he once was in these new rules.  It is a different game and it is best to avoid comparing units from 8th edition to this game, it doesn't work.

Nagash vs 3 cannons is going to die I think.  Not sure if 8th edition tactics will play a part here.  Take shooting units and you'll do fine.

Ambrose

[iatroblast]

I'm not sure if what you are asking.  Are you asking how do you decide what miniatures to take?
If so, take whatever miniatures you wish.  Just pick the models you want, get their warscroll, and off you go.  Put them on the table to play and throw dice!

Or are you saying what armies (race) to take?  Again, I think the answer is the same.  Take the models you would like, get the warscrolls for them, and put them on the table.  Throw dice!

Ambrose

I've heard it said that a dowsing rod can be used to find the army that's right for you.

I'm missing something here- I either have an Empire army, an Order army or two plastic grocery bags full of a Grotaelfogorempire army

[Siberius]

It seems about on the level tactically speaking of a board have and people enjoy those a lot, even ones that rely purely on chance, so I think saying it would only appeal to kids might take it a bit too far.

If I want a good rich game with layers of complexity, I'll play warhammer as it was but I could see playing aos where you might instead play a casual boardgame

[Midaski]

The other thing I have noticed from casual observance is that you should not pay too much attention to what characters / units in the old game did, and what they do now.
I've read people going on about how great 'this' is and 'that' is now but so is a lot of other stuff.
Someone mentioned how great is that Goldswords have two attacks - I'm told loads of other enemy stuff does too.

[Oxycutor]

There is apparently an Age of Sigmar app coming, that has an army builder on it.  I don't know if that has the rules for army selection.   Also there is a book coming this week, mostly fluff apparently, but has scenarios and warscrolls and stuff as well.  It's possible it might have army selection as well.  Though it's been described as "Not a Rulebook"

I wouldn't necessarily bet on it having army selection though.   

They may do something after all the feedback they've been getting

I haven't really compared, but how well do the formation scrolls compare at a rough power level, assuming minmum unit size?

[Darknight]

@ Darknight: Your definition of what's an entertaining diversion and mine must be very different.

Yes, indeed. This is why AoS isn't for you.

[Syn Ace]

I started to get excited about this game as a quick-moving skirmish fight and I didn't mind that they were going to strip some of the complexity out of it, but I think it's just a little too dumbed down and the shooting looks like it's overpowered (though it might not be if playing with purely AoS units--we'll see). The whole lack of guidance in building somewhat balanced opposing armies took the wind out of my sails (again, maybe it'll be different with only AoS units). Maybe the game will evolve into something I'd be interested in, but with GW's history of abandoning games (Man o War, Battlefleet Gothic, Mordheim, Necromunda), I'm going to sit this one out for now and not buy a starter set. I always thought that WHFB was safe as a core system (hah!) so God only knows how long they'll stick with AoS if it tanks.

[Baron von Klatz]

@ Darknight: Your definition of what's an entertaining diversion and mine must be very different.

Yes, indeed. This is why AoS isn't for you.

I'm in agreement with Darknight. We're all friends here with similar interests. If your friend prefers checkers to chess should you chastise him for playing a less strategic, but still enjoyable, game? I very much respect your opinion,  Padre, but the way your protesting makes it feel that your saying people who enjoy the game are nothing but children.

I'm just asking that perhaps you can be a little less condescending on your review of the game? In the end it's all about enjoying yourself and having fun with friends. (and before you say "what fun can you have with this?!", I find it better than my 8th battles where my opponent spammed metal with his high elves against my Bretonnians)

Also, concerning Crimsonsphinx, the game is vastly different to 8th. The heroes and strategies have changed drastically,  case in point, a fellow had ten goblins with a hero face ten chaos knights and a hero. The goblin player won with only his hero standing with one wound left.