Fluff or force?

[Aegis]

So, I have been working hard to get everything ready for this year's game, and I have come to an interesting (at least in my mind) impasse. Do I want to field an army of force, or of fluff?

What I mean by this is that I could throw down each one of the special characters, a couple librarians, some grand masters, and metric tonne of purifiers and paladins, and that is just for the Grey Knights element. Or, I could go the fluff route and do a proper brotherhood of grey knights, with Grand Master, librarian, Captain and hero and then appropriate numbers of purifier's, strike squads, paladin and termies...

On one hand, one would create a fun narrative element to my table, crafting stories of the 5th brotherhood's participation in the coming fight, aiding the beleaguered forces of the Sisters of Battle and Deathwatch. Or, I can lay down over whelming force.

Any thoughts?

[bigoldfrog]

Any thoughts?

Convert to Chaos.

[jj3]

As long as you have fun with it, that's what really counts. Unfortunately based on a number of the other threads for this year, many people are leaning to maximizing templates and power to win at all costs.

In my mind, a single table won't really make or break the overall war, but it could create lasting memories if it's more fluff. My tau all have a backstory, I was light on troops my first round there and I have no idea how the new codex will shake out, but because I had a bunch of rail guns over half my army was gone 1st turn before I could even move. Still had fun though, it was a hard fight where I was at till the stompa's next to me made some critical repair and save rolls.

[Marit Lage]

Any thoughts?

Convert to Chaos.

Truth.

[bigoldfrog]

Fluff. Win with that you get props, lose but fight to the bitter end you get props.
'Power'. Win with that no one cares, lose with that and the less mature snicker. But a win is more likely.
At tournaments at least this seems to be the case.
If at all possible, bring everything. Last year I dumped 3-4k of stuff just to be obliterated... though being a 'bad guy' I don't have much attachment to my troops.

[Aegis]

Fluff. Win with that you get props, lose but fight to the bitter end you get props.
'Power'. Win with that no one cares, lose with that and the less mature snicker. But a win is more likely.
At tournaments at least this seems to be the case.
If at all possible, bring everything. Last year I dumped 3-4k of stuff just to be obliterated... though being a 'bad guy' I don't have much attachment to my troops.

I definitely like this way of thinking. In all the previous years, I tended towards overwhelming force. While the game was still enjoyable, it was almost clinical.

I think I will look more into the fluffy list possibilities.

[jj3]

This thought just hit me, with Tau being all for the greater good, just think that suddenly they ally with the GK's to attack the chaos daemons on the next table because they were stomping things and creating a wasteland (and smelled bad)!



Translated into game rules, 1 player on each side will "turncoat" on a specific turn, or have some neutral players who are guarding the objective both sides want, but once attacked will join the opposite team...

[kernbanks]

There should be some amazing narrative opportunities in this game... it will be my first, I am pretty heavy treadhead so tanks are aplenty... but attempting to round out more and more troops to balance things out a bit.

[jj3]

The only issue with troops in this Apoc game, you need a bucket standing by. You place all of them carefully, then during the shooty phase of the opponents turn you quickly take half off the table and sweep them into the bucket Rinse repeat!

[kernbanks]

ahh yes... foam padded bucket and doubling the clear coat

[Randolph]

I think the fluff should follow the battle - I've talked about this in previous years. If your heroic senior officer dies in a spectacular fashion then the troops were either A) Inspired by his bravery, B) Scared to the point of running away or C) Responsible for his death due to some cunning plan they had cooked up. If you are bringing allies, then maybe the allies don't really get along and if one allied leader gets chopped down then this could be the work of the other allied leader. For Tyrranids it is always the will of the hive mind when something bad happens.

[bigoldfrog]

@ Randolph

Hell, even for Orks it's as likely 'The will of the hive mind' when something bad happens, as anything else.