So here's what happened. I was lying awake last night mulling over all the losses I've had in Warmachine, and I came to the conclusion that PP is to blame. As I thought more and more about it, I couldn't believe just how terrible of a game Warmachine actually is, especially compared to 40k! I wrote out some points about the major failings of PP, and how GW really does it right.
Cost
This is always the first complaint leveled against GW, so let's just get it out of the way now. Yes, GW models are more expensive, but you're also getting a higher quality product. Especially with the new Finecast line, you know you're only getting the finest casts around. Some may look at images like this and say that Finecast has increased price while decreasing quality, but I say nuts to them. GW knows what they're doing!
In addition, some say that building a single list is insanely expensive. Again, this is entirely unfounded. For example, the Grey Knight army I want to build doesn't even cross the $1,000 line. And what's $1,000 in the long run? A month of groceries? At least these models last for years! And as long as you have a newer codex, you'll be able to play that list over and over with little fear of winning as long as your list is well made.
In Warmachine, $1,000 will probably only buy you every model for an entire faction, but then you're stuck with a huge pile of Warmachine models. Talk about money wasted!
Skill
"Warhammer games are won by list building." "Warmachine rewards skill more than what models you bring." Man am I tired of that argument. So what if a 2 hour game is decided before it starts? If someone can't copy a decent list from a tournament report, they deserve to lose. It's 2013, it's not like information is hard to find. When I first started 40k, I found dozens of tournament lists with 90% of the players fielding the exact same Space Wolves list.
Likewise, Warmachine certainly does not reward player skill alone. If you want to argue, look at the Minions faction. Minions players claim to have bad models, but that shouldn't matter if they're good enough. Even if everyone else has battle engines and gargantuans, they should suck it up and win through pure gumption.
But let's set Minions aside. What about anything that isn't Cygnar with a Stormwall? Cygnar used to complain about being uncompetitive, yet as soon as they got a colossal suddenly everyone wants to play them. They're all over tournaments, and they're the only army that wins! It sounds to me that Warmachine is exactly like 40k - as long as you bring the most powerful list you win, and there's nothing else to it.
Power Creep
Many accuse GW of updating an army to make it more powerful in order to force players to buy the shiny new army. Instead, I think people need to realize that GW is keeping their game fresh. By releasing a codex that makes an army amazing they force players to experience everything in the game. If you could spend years playing the same Ultramarine army and win consistently, how are you growing as a player? Plus once you've collected a sizable force, you run out of things to buy. And what's the fun of being a gamer if you can't keep spending money?
Compare that to Warmachine, where some people have had the same army for 10 years. Rather than releasing books for individual armies and changing the balance of power, PP releases an equal amount of models for each faction. Sometimes an army will become more powerful (hello Cygnar), while others will get more of the same (Khador, Trolls). Sure, everyone will usually get something that can change how the army plays, but it's not enough to force players out in to a brand new army.
Let's face it, in addition to making the game boring and unrewarding, it's a stupid move by PP. People only need to buy their stuff once and they're basically set. GW has a steady flow of expensive models leaving their warehouses, thus allowing them to hire a sizable staff to balance the rules and armies, making sure the game is truly fair for everyone. It's amazing PP hasn't gone under yet, but I'm sure it's coming.
A Company that Cares
And this is where it comes down to it. PP fans claim that the company cares about their customers (as I used to believe), but if you take a look you'll realize how wrong that is. PP wants their game to be balanced and competitive, which means that every army is supposed to have an equal chance. They show this by having a strong tournament scene and balanced rules. And yet the same players keep winning major tournaments. How is that fair? How is that balanced? What, are they just that "skilled" that they can do well consistently? And what about model prices? Just because prices have stayed the same doesn't somehow make PP better than GW, it just makes them bad at business.
Now GW, there is a company that cares. Their constant prices increases and codex updates make sure only the best and most dedicated players do well competitively. If I'm not willing to buy an entirely new army to win at a game that truly values balance, then I don't deserve to win. Simple as that. It shouldn't require hours and hours of practice to be able to compete with the best players. I should be able to buy my models, build my list, and just win because I deserve it.
So that's it, I'm done with PP. The armies are unfair, the rules are broken, and the company wants to do nothing but rip me off.
See you tomorrow with something that isn't absolute BS! And don't forget about my giveaway - if you win, you could totally buy a shoulderpad or something for a Space Marine!
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