Warmachine Hexcalation: The Game That's Already Obsolete

A few years ago, I designed a game that we called "Hexcalation".  Naming credits go to Dave Mallery because he demands credit for it.  He also demands money and other things too, but those won't happen.  Hexcalation was designed as a hybrid between a standard collectible card game and a board game.  It took mechanics that I liked from other game systems and blended them with the additional level of strategy of a board game.

Hexcalation was initially set on a arbitrary fantasy world that drew some of it's inspiration from the old Confrontation miniatures system.  A few of us played a few games and enjoyed it, but it was a lot of work making the cards, cutting them out, and generally balancing out the game.

Advance the time line to a few months ago where I am sitting around thinking about Hexcalation and it's future.  I had thought about converting Hexcalation over to a different environment.  I never intended the game to be sold or anything, so it would all be public domain and have a very limited audience so hopefully no one would ever sue me.  I thought about utilizing the rich background of Warhammer 40k, more specifically the Horus Heresy era.  The problem there is that Games Workshop would be the one gaming company that would throw out a cease-and-desist order at the drop of a dime.

Advertisements? In this blog?

It's more likely than you think.

I (Scott) signed up the COGS site for Google's AdSense.  I know that advertising can be annoying, but it doesn't have to be.  AdSense isn't (usually) overwhelming or massively in your face about things.  It (ideally) aims ads based on the content of the site.

I'm doing this not to make money, but to give COGS some ability to provide prize support for events without forcing participants to pay entry fees equal to the cost of the prizes.  I'm doing it so that when we send our crack team of reporters/bloggers to a gaming conference, they have a small budget to help them as they do their research.  I'm doing it for t-shirts and coffee mugs and strippers who will dress up like Lady Aiyana or a Sister of Battle.

Overall, I don't think it will matter.  We don't get a lot of traffic and therefore the ads won't be seen by that many people.  Google doesn't send out payouts until we reach a $100 threshold.  Even then, I get taxed as an individual on whatever we "earn".

But I did want to warn everyone: The advertisements are coming!  The advertisements are coming!

International Table Top Day

Hey everyone.  This is a reminder that Saturday, March 30th is the International Table Top Day.  According to the website (http://www.tabletopday.com/):

On March 30th, 2013, we ask you to go to your friendly local game store, neighborhood coffee shop, school auditorium, community center, or host a game day at your home and play more games.

Analysis: Drake MacBain

Some mercenaries fight for a lost home, for revenge, for adventure.  Drake MacBain fights for coin.  No mission too dangerous, no battlefield too bloody, he'll work for any of the warring nations of the Iron Kingdoms without moral qualm.  MacBain fights with the gritty determination of the hired professional and will let nothing stop him from the completion of his contracts.  He is the consummate mercenary and has the tools to finish any job.

And he has the best mustache in the Iron Kingdoms (no offense to Nemo or Kara Sloan).

In this episode of Analysis, I'm going to be taking an in-depth look into one of the mercenary casters that I'll be playing in this league (completely ignoring my previous post dedicating this year to Skorne).

GW Announces Tau Release Date

Games Workshop has announced that March 30th will be the big release date for the next Warhammer 40K release: the Tau.

To go along with this, they've released a video which you can view by following this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ug0aw5gRPkw

I am sure that the Tau releases will look spectacular and make me want to get back into Warhammer 40k, but I'm not going to.  I've pledged to stay away from GW (especially given the recent news about how they are handling prices/ordering/bits/whatever).

And this video... there's nothing I can say about it really because THERE'S NO CONTENT.  Just some sound effects, some fancy sounding phrases, and dark cutaway shots of what look like existing models.

Privateer Press Release Schedule

I thought it might be helpful to show off the upcoming release schedule from Privateer Press.  This information is available to the general public, but it's not always easy to find.

SWTCG: Jedi Hanless

Everyone loves Han, his pod is great, Questionable Contacts has strong utility,Crossfire can give you that extra blast icon you need to win, Twi'lek Smuggler is a solid 2 for 2 icons, and swindled always has its uses. However, since lasts weeks CincyCon tournament I am cutting the pod from my Jedi deck. I was running the popular 2x Heroes Journey, 2x Forgotten Heroes, 2x In You Must Go, 2x The Secret of Yavin 4 and 2x Questionable Contacts.  Now the deck performed well but I found myself relying on Han and struggling to maintain board control against Sith. After long deliberation I decided to drop Solo and add 2x Jedi Training, I know, youre thinking "wow that pod is in no way as good as Questionable Contacts, its got no heavy uniques, I want to shoot stuff in the face." and you would be correct. Side by side Hans pod is stronger, however I feel that Jedi Training in conjunction with the other Jedi pods offers amazing utility. Lets take a look.

The objective itself has a decent ability especially if you are matched against a Sith deck. This could be the card thats keeps the balance in your favor. 

I like Ancient Monument, not for its text but for its force icons.  Keep it in your hand, win some edge battles, and you'll start to get excited drawing this card.  In Hans pod Han was the only 3 force icon card and he was hitting the table. I firmly believe that having a strong edge hand and one heavy hitter on the table is better that two on the table and a crap edge hand, especially as the lightside because you need to attack every turn and you need to win edge to destroy objectives.

Believer in the Old Ways is solid. I like her better than the Twi'lek Smuggler, she has a blast icon and can take 2 damage before kicking it. Shes a good play that can add some damage onto the objective and by playing this pod you'll have access to 4 of her (assuming you are playing In You Must Go).

Jedi in Hiding is good. Really good.  Sure shes no Obi Wan or Luke but for 2 resources you are getting 2 blasters and an edge blast.  Shes a Force User so she is triggering Forgotten Heroes card draw and she can equip the Jedi Lightsaber, meaning for 3 total resources your getting a miniature wrecking ball that your opponent is going to have to deal with. Also by adding this pod you now have access to 4 of them.  The obvious downside is she can only take 1 damage but with Guardians of the Peace she should be able to stick around.

Recursion. This card is great and it doesn't see much play because the pod is underplayed.  This card is going to let you attack then grab at least one card (two if you have balance!) out of the edge stack to use on defense during your opponents turn. Or just Jedi Mind trick your opponents board twice. With so many cards hitting your discard pile during edge battles and solid playable events this will rarely be a dead card.

This card is the Jedi answer to Palpatine, Vader or whatever big nasty unit the Dark Side is throwing out. The pod itself is worth playing just to give you access to 4 of these (with Forgotten Heroes).  Its only drawback is its only usable on Creatures and Characters. While thats not a huge deal right now, with the upcoming force packs I think well see a lot more Imperial Navy on the field and with their vehicle units you could be sitting on a dead card waiting for Tarkin or Motti to hit the table. Mind Trick competes with Swindled out of Hans pod and I think its just a better card. I really dont need to get around low costs units as much as I need an answer to Vader and Palpatine and seeing as Swindled only hits 2 cost and under units its not going to be as helpful.

Of course with Desolation of Hoth upon us my entire deck could change. I look forward to testing this out and seeing if its possible to achieve the same level of success without depending on Harrison Fords stunning jaw line for victory.

Android Netrunner: Deck Tech - Whizzard

"Whizzard - Kick em while they are down"

 

This deck is more than Kickin' the Corp while their down, its also getting them to go down in the first place. This Anarch comes with the 3 creds a turn he needs to trash all their assets. The goal is to trash any of their economy before they get a chance to reap a benefit and then clear out their accounts with vamps. I make it sound simple but there is a finesse required to pilot this glass cannon which includes only one ice breaker: CRYPSIS. 

Identity:
Whizzard: Master Gamer (What Lies Ahead)

Android Netrunner: Deck Tech Weyland Consortium

As the grind for regionals begins I have started designing decks that will be reliable for 60 minute tournament rounds. My HB deck is solid but tends to play the long game by constructing large data forts and waiting for the agendas to come into hand. Not wanting to take the risk on hitting time I've decided to go the fastest route possible with Weyland bag and tag.  Most players tend to agree that NBN makes better use of Scorched Earth but I love the economy and in faction ICE Weyland has to offer.  Lets take a look.

Identity:

Weyland Consortium, Building a Better World

Agendas: (13)

Hostile Takeover x3

Posted Bounty x3

Project Atlas x3

Private Security Force x3

Priority Requisition x1

Assets: (6)

Melange Mining Corp. x3

Operations: (13)

Beanstalk Royalties x3

Hedge Fund x3

Sea Source x2

Scorched Earth x3

Big Brother x2

ICE: (20)

Archer x3

Enigma x3

Wall of Static x3

Shadow x3

Hadrian's Wall x3

Data Raven x3

Hunter x2

Total : 49 cards, 12 Influence NBN.

UPDATED: Removed Closed accounts and Snare! for more tagging, added Sea Source, Big Brother, Hunter.

13 agendas can be dangerous.  The danger is somewhat lessened by 6 of them being 1 pointers and by only having one 3 pointer. A lucky runner that grabs Priority Req could win with three agendas but more than likely hes going to need to snag at least four agendas, probably five.  I kicked pad campaign in favor of a burst economy with Hostile Takeover, Beanstalks, Hedge Funds and Melange.  This deck needs money quick and early for flipping Posted Bounty and bumping traces. With winning by agenda not a priority Archer is an easy include, even with Emergency Shut Down making the rounds I should have enough cheap agendas to keep it rezzed. Enigma and Wall of Static are just solid early game ICE, cheap enough to rez turn two and subroutines to end the run.  I really like Hadrians Wall for icing my centrals, they tend to work very well with Data Ravens and Shadow by bleeding the runners credit pool.  This deck is going to have the most difficulty with Anarchs, particularly Noise. With 13 agendas Noise is going to be throwing them into the archives forcing me to heavily ice all three centrals and spread myself a little thinner than I'd like.  I'm going to grind this out Monday at Yottaquests LCG night and I'll update with any changes. 

-James

Steamroller Test Run- Retribution

Cincycon tomorrow is kicking off the Steamroller 2013 season for me.  After thinking about it long and hard I have decided to forgo the sweet embrace of victory that I have grown accustomed to (thank you Legion) and give Retribution a go. This is a 35 point Steamroller with character restrictions, two lists and no reinforcements.  So lets take a look at what I've got.

List 1.) Adeptis Rahn: Fires From On High Tier 4

Adeptis Rahn +6

- Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker 1

- Hyperion 18

Arcanist x2 2

House Shyeel Magister x2 4

Stormfall Archers x2 10

House Shyeel Battle Mages 5

total 41pts.

With this list instead of holding objectives I intend to deny them to my opponent.  With advanced deployed archers (tier benefit) I can wash out most melee infantry and hopefully throw any high ARM targets off the objective with my mages.  Hyperion's speed benefit (tier bonus) should get him into threat range early enough that my Magisters have time to get into key positions.  I am a sucker for tier lists and I think this alt tier for Rahn is solid enough to see play outside of casual games.

List 2.)

Lord Arcanist Ossyan +6

- Banshee 10

- Phoenix 10

Mage Hunter Assassin 2

Stormfall Archers x2 10

Houseguard Halberdiers 7

- Halberdier Officer and Standard 2

total 41 pts.

I intend to use this as my assassination list.  Its not your typical assassination build by any means but I think Ossyans feat, archers, Banshee and a Phoenix can make it happen.  Halbs should be able to screen the Archers long enough for them to get into position. Banshees knockdown should keep any heavy targets from getting the jump on my caster. Once everyones in position feated archers and a Banshee should do the trick, with a Mage Hunter Assassin and Phoenix to play clean up.  This is a highly experimental list that I have actually not got much table time with. Should be fun!