Hi guys, I've never liked AoS very much but some friends would like to try it out, so i'm here for your knowledge:
- do seraphons still use the rules once given for free by GW? Where can i find the rules?
- is there a good and simple way to balance the armies?
- is tactic important in this game or it's totally casual?
- are seraphons competitive?
- is it funny? is it satisfying?
Thanks
I know it's all been answered, but screw it, my hat gets thrown in anyway mainly for the last three points.
-We still get free rules, jump over onto the GW website and take a look at the models on sale there. There should be a PDF link in the description for each of them giving the rules. The only things that need to be purchased are battalion rules, which are quite frankly not necessary.
-Having tried basically all of the methods, I find substituting points for wounds is the best thing to do. Points systems that make use of model stats to decide how many points something is worth are, quite frankly, massively flawed and detrimental to the game. I think it's telling that when 16 veteran players who have been around for multiple editions were asked if they preferred wounds or points for AoS, the vote was 15-1 in favour of wounds. This is simply because a big part of the game now is about abilities, synergies, and supportive uses, not stats. For example, all points systems say Kroak is more expensive than a normal Slann, yet 4/5 times when somebody asks me which they should get, I tell them the normal Slann is more powerful for them because its supportive abilities fit their army much better than Kroak's aggressive abilities and higher stats would, not to mention that even when I take Kroak over a Slann I do not take him for the stats but rather how he can compliment my army as a whole. Seriously, to hell with those points systems some people use.
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Yes, I cannot stress this enough. Casual play is now much easier to do because the entry point is lower, but tactics are just as important as ever and make a world of difference. Honestly with how OP every army is now, tactical games are more intense than ever because it boils down to both sides taking turns pulling off insane power-combos and game-changing tricks and traps while constantly reacting to the enemy's tactics, it's like speed chess. But the Queen has a minigun. It's so fun to do.
-Honestly I'd rate Seraphon as either the best army right now or the second best. We lack the raw power of Everchosen, the tenacity and numbers of Undead and Daemons, and the insanely powerful heroes of all three (I rate those three as our main competetors,) but we make up for this with an insane level of adaptability. If you can conceptualise a basic strategy such as defensive, aggressive, mobile, shooting, melee, etc, then the Seraphon can do it. This makes us perfect for taking on any enemy.
-Oh god yes, it's both funny and satisfying. Approaching the silly rules with a more social mindset, the kind you're in around friends, will let you really enjoy them. Really the new rules are based less in the camp of "get competitive, beat your enemy," and more towards the idea of "just have fun." And as for satisfying, well the aforementioned part on tactical games should highlight how satisfying that is. I can say with certainty that as a person who's played since 6th or 7th edition, the most fun and satisfying gameplay I've ever had was my first hyper-tactical AoS game, and that I'm looking forward to a rematch this one guy I recently met who managed to play me to a standstill in our last game because I think it's going to be satisfying to a brand new level as the simpler and less restrictive rules give you more freedom to move and adapt to problems, letting you develop more complex and deep strategies than before simply because there are fewer rules telling you what you can't do.
Oh, and yeah, definitely use a lot of terrain.
