Show Notes
4-7-15
Intro
- Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube! Join our Forums, too! If you would like to be a guest on the show, email Reece at Contact@FrontlineGaming.org
- We sell tabletop games and supplies at 20% off! Hit us up for your next gaming order at Orders@FrontlineGaming.org or visit our webstore at FrontlineGaming.org.
News
- Be sure to grab those Wargames Con tickets! It’s going to be a great event and we’re excited to be there with everyone!
- BAO tickets will be up for sale by the end of April.
- Skitarii pre-order special is still in effect, looks like for another week! So be sure to order your and save some dough. As soon as we have the dex and some models, we’ll be running some test games.
- Now that we’re mostly settled into the new studio, we’ll be picking up with the Special Edition Signals from the Frontline, again! The next book on deck is Necrons!
- Our next live stream will be Tuesday. April 7th at 7pm EST. Follow our Twitch channel to get notified when we go on air!
- Video bat reps are starting to flow again! Sorry for the long break, we just had too much going on at once.
- Awesome video for the new Skitarii models and Codex from GW. Their videos have gotten much cooler, lately.
- Gamecraft shows off a new, awesome, terrain piece!
- Forgeworld reveals a new Realm of Battle terrain tile, this one with an emplaced laser. Pretty cool looking.
- Wyrd previews a new model in the Malifaux universe.
- Heavy Gear show off some very cool new infantry models in plastic. Looks like they are switching them from the older hex bases to 40mm round bases.
- Siren Miniatures previews a new model: Quinn the Coalseeker.
- Raging Heroes show off a new WIP model: Lady Darkness.
- Some cool pics of people, and babies, rocking the FLG stunna shades!
Upcoming ITC Events
Updated ITC missions will be posted by tonight. These are still in test phase on the bonus points, so please play test and shoot us back your thoughts!
We’ve got some pictures from the Linebreakers ITC event this past weekend. Looks like it was a good time!
- Plains of War, Reset Ultra Lounge, Manitoba, Canada, April 7th, 2015
- Game Empire Pasadena BSB Primer, Pasadena, CA, April 11th, 2015
- De-La-Warr Open, Newark, DE, April 11-12, 2015
- Onslaught, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, April 11-12, 2015
- April 40k ITC RTT, Bakersfield, CA, April 12th, 2015
- Kings of the North, Moor Club Adventure House, UK, April 17-19, 2015
- Just A Games Con ITC Event, Elks Lodge, Corvallis, OR, April 19th, 2015
Rumors: The Rumor Section is gathered from the web and is not in any way information we receive from any manufacturer nor is it necessarily accurate. This section of the podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only.
- Skitarii relics!
- Arkhan’s Divinator- If a model or its unit identifies a mysterious objective or moves onto mysterious terrain, yo can choose to re-roll the result.
- The Phase Taser- S+2 melee, inerdimensional Electrocution, and Taser
- Pater Radium- if the bearer is locked in combat at the end of Initiative, each unit takes a toughness test. if failed d6 random wounds with no armor saves allowed are taken.
- The Omniscient Mask – gives Zealot special rule
- Phosphoenix- 6″ S5 AP2 pistol luminagen, phosphex, and poisoned 3+
- The Skull of Elder Nikola- once per game instead of firing a weapon, roll a d6’s equal to the turn number. the number rolled is the range of the attack- all enemy vehicles suffer a haywire hit.
- Rumored new terrain kits inbound, the Plasma Obliterator and the Promethium Pipes
- Rumors that the eventual AdMech codex will have HQs in it that may be usable with Skitarii. Cool!
- The rumored Eldar codex coming out next has some contradicting rumors. Some say it is to be more of an expansion than a replacement, while other rumors are saying it is a replacement AND an expansion. If so, that means we most likely not get a change to the Wave Serpent, but, it does mean we can likely expect some cool craftworld goodies.
- Rumors that Vect and his Dias are being worked on at GW, maybe only in the concept phase at present, but that he will be coming back.
- More rumors of Fantasy 9th ed coming up for pre-order potentially as soon as April? Wow if true. Persistant whispers of round bases, grouped factions and a new, “light” faction.
- Rumors of Grail Knights in the new Light Faction, as well as warriors that look like Chaos Warriors, but are good, not evil.
- Rumors that the next book after Eldar will be Dark Angels, and that the only mini coming out with the book is an Interrogator Chaplain. We’ll see what pans out, but it sounds cool.
- After Dark Angels, rumors indicate that Tzeentch Daemonkin will be next in line.
Rant Session
Tactics Corner
Rules Lawyer
Completed Commissions
A level 2 Necron Commission!
List Review
In the mission pack, mission number 2 has a bonus objective called ground control, but I can’t find the description for it. May just be blind.
You are correct, sir! Thanks for pointing that out, I updated it.
Thanks Reece. Have some play-testing lined up this weekend. Can’t wait to try these out.
Let us know how you like the changes…or don’t like them!
I love how that relic skull is named after Tesla and it’s a lightening attack!
Yeah, I love the Nikola reference . All we need now is a reference to Alexander Graham Bell, then I can have a nerdgasm.
Haha, nice!
You should do a pony dress.
No way, lol!
The dress needs to have a giant bow on the back. And I think that Malifaux model has a noose around his neck.
That’s getting a bit too kinky, even for me, haha
I’m not sure if a Princess Peach suggestion is any better, with the tiara and all. Lol
I draw the line at the Tiara, haha
Funnily enoigh, the pro ethics pipe relay can give a scythe heiradule torrent.
I don’t believe the Heirodule’s gun is a flamer weapon; those are specifically defined in the BRB’s weapons section (with a few additions from other books.)
Your right.
still, I’m gonna look on fw for a flamer weapon that is on an Mc and is hellstrom
I believe the only two Hellstorm weapons which are even arguably flamers are the one on the Warhound and on the Malcador Infernus (Inferno Cannon?), the latter of which is already torrent and neither of which can qualify for the Pipes.
Where can we get ML Berserker swag?
We typically give it away/sell it at our events!
I’ve been a bit negative of the ITC changes and here are my thoughts on why (as a caveat, I like the goal and intent of ITC as a whole, and appreciate all the work you guys put in. I would gladly buy you guys a beer at NOVA.):
1.) As a guideline, as you mention, I feel like you should be seeking to avoid changing rules as much as possible. Suggesting rules changes across the board makes it feel more imposing, if that makes sense. Considering the completeness of the rules changes and how they are influencing mission design, army design, and in game rules, it feels less customizable. A smaller, more streamlined set of guidelines would be more apparently something to be built on to suit local tastes and preferences.
2.) I felt like the poll/survey was mishandled a bit and rushed. You guys are trying to institute a nation-wide, year long competitive scoring system for the game. I LOVE that. But that deserves a well constructed and considered poll/survey. Responses to that, including my own, are all over, so I won’t rehash all of it. It just left a bad taste
Anyway – ITC Criticism aside – looking forward to watching the recorded game casts (being an East Coaster I will likely be asleep around the time you guys start rolling dice) and renewed bat reps.
I agree with both your points. Just realize, this will be the 2nd year of the ITC. FLG and Co. are laying the foundation for a possible Nation Wide (possibly Global) League for Table Top Minatures. Personally, I think FLG and Co. should start making polls/surveys throughout the year with all of GWs changes. If they do this, by the time season 2 closes, we already have a clue how season 3 will be. This will help prevent rushed surveys with vague questions at the start of the season.
I think the biggest issue with the ITC and any other format is they have no communication with GW. GW can and will make unbalanced or unconventional changes to their rules and factions without any input from the community. For this whole thing to see long term success, GW needs to also jump on the bandwagon and work with whatever major Tournament Format in the next 5-10 years.
I personally can’t wait for this to spread to almost every FLGS. I just want to go to a store, talk to a possible opponent (pickup game) and ask 2 questions, points? and format? Almost how MTG has certain formats (Standard, Commander, etc), As of now, in my area, I have to explain ITC Missions and the ITC FAQ or we play an Eternal War mission. Then I have to explain how a barbed hierodule isn’t as scary as the guy that brings Ad-Lance, but no one gives him shit because they aren’t LoWs.
TL:DR
ITC is still young, give it some time. GW needs to interact with ITC to come up with a good format and game system. To much talking with opponents to start a game, than playing a game.
Obviously there’s going to be growing pains – not expecting perfection and honestly trying to couch any criticism with actionable improvements. With the Poll/Survey – I think honestly part of the issue is maybe a slight lack of transparency with how results would be tabulated, and at the same time, maybe too much value put into just the raw numbers of the Poll.
In particular, things like that should, I think, be considered as a Survey, not a Poll. The difference being it’s an input, not a decision making device. If a poll is preferred, then it would ideally be done in a way to not divide similar votes. That was one of the louder gripes, is that splitting issues into Pro and Con 1, Con 2, and Con 3 resulted in a win for Pro, even if more people overall voted Con.
Which is why it felt like the poll was rushed when a common response to these critiques was “we don’t have time to run a follow up poll.”
The obvious solution would be to start the survey process earlier, before the end of the previous season (by like 6 months) and progressively narrow results. The issue this would encounter though is that with GW’s release pace, some “decisions” made 6 months ago are largely irrelevant or outdated.
If I was conducting the suvey/poll, I would start with a binary poll. Take all the issues raised and ask – Would you like Rule/Decision X to be revisited or kept the same – Revisit or Leave
Then concerns players have can be progressively brought up. If a majority want to revisit Detachment numbers, then in a follow up poll it could be “Increase, Decrease, or remain the same?” Assuming Increase wins out, then “Increase to 3, Increase to 4, Increase to 5 or more” or something similar. I’m no professional surveyer, but I think that would get you more actionable results with greater transparency.
I would give them time to grow “out”.
It’s one of the hardest things to do successfully as a business.
It starts to feel repetitive on the podcast, when they talk about lack of time. But it’s a huge issue. They have three staff, managing what could be four separate companies. Hobby supplies, painting service, and effectively events plus events development, plus content production/management.
FLG has just brought on a second building, they are running tournaments for other people, it’s easy to forget that this is season 2 of the ITC, and they only squared away the second LVO, and their biggest event to date.
In business terms, the demands on them are like a young teenager buying a set of adult sized clothes, and now everyone expects them to be an adult. They need time to naturally fill out the clothes, and make sure they are servicing all of the needs of all four businesses. There’s a heap of people helping them realise their (at times crazily ambitious) goals. Everyone from their staff, their business partners, their business mentors, and just randoms off the internet.
I expect they’ll be taking criticism on board, and working hard to make sure they fulfil expectations for things like the surveys, which it’s easy to see why you’d down-prioritise compared to everything else going on.
Thanks for the feedback. Remember, the very first line of the ITC guidelines is and always has been: These rules are free to use or alter by any TO that wishes to use them. We don’t try to force anything, and it is a guideline. I think with how crazy complex 40k has gotten, that most busy folks out there simply choose to take a format that has been tested and just run with it.
And, the process for determining how we do things is a WIP, and probably always will be. We’re going to work with some professionals in the polling industry to get more reactive system in place for the future. We also plan on making a mid-season adjustment around late July to fine tune the system.
One of the things I’ve noticed though, is no matter how the process for determining policy change is structured, people get upset about it, haha, that is simply a part of compromise.
Reece, I understand, and that’s good to hear. Yeah, there will always be criticisms, but it sounds like you’re taking great steps to address them and most reasonable people; I think it says something that many were more upset about how they perceived decisions had been made than the decisions themselves. Taking the steps you’ve mentioned should alleviate that. Then again, this is the Internet…. Thanks for the response and for all the work you put in for this hobby.
On the ITC format, perhaps to make it more clear that some things are optional, maybe you should specify a minimum for an event to be ITC eligible. Perhaps something simple like 1500-2500 point using the ITC FAQ and Missions. And then the rest could be listed like a menu, so that TOs better realize that they can customize their event, but still maintain the ITC structure.
Because although the first line does indeed say they are guidelines, no one seems to be reading or using that. I think it may just be a framing issue.
Yeah, I think that’s what I was trying to get at in my original post about it being unclear as guidance. Referencing army comp, faqs, and missions as “ITC Recommended” or something could make it clearer?
Sisters of Battle/ Adepta Senoritas Cosplay anyone?
Where might we find a description/set of rules on the new tertiary objectives?
Thank you!
ligs
Nevermind I found it! I was looking at the community page, not the ITC page. Cheers!
https://frontlinegaming.org/community/frontline-gamings-independent-tournament-circuit/itc-2015-season-40k-tournament-format/
=)
I’m reading the 2015 ITC rules and I can’t figure out what “duplicate” means.
For example,
– Can I have two CAD’s (from the WH40K rulebook), one from SM and one from Dark Angels?
– Can I have the modified CAD from a book (e.g. Leviathan) and a standard CAD?
– Assuming they come out with some that aren’t CTA, can I ally two Decurion style detachments?
You’re over thinking it, buddy.
If you have 2 CADs, you have duplicated one of your detachment types.
You don’t have to go any further than that =)
That’s what I thought (and agree is best!), but I’ve talked to you in person too 😉 It doesn’t seem as clear when I’m looking at the rules on the main page…
I’d hate to be a guy that turned up to a tournament and messed that up… then again, if I’m the only one confused by it then I guess problem solved!
The Malifaux model is Jack Daw, Its a master in the second wave of models in the crossroads book.
Nice one, thanks for the clarification!
Would love to watch the live stream but keep missing out due to time difference – would be awesome if you can get some of the content scheduled at a slightly more EU-friendly time! Failing that, looking forward to seeing the video batreps on YouTube!
On this episode, there was some discussion about the latest Necron book including it’s expansion (?) which I didn’t follow at all – what were you guys trying to say there? I don’t think that GW are at all moving away from the Codex-followed-by-supplements/campaigns model… was that what you were suggesting or did I totally misunderstand?
What we meant by that is that it contains a lot of the stuff an expansion book usually has: alternate detachment, formations, etc.
And yeah, it is tough to live stream at a time that works for everyone =(
There’s already a guy that comes to your events in womens clothing, maybe you can get some pointers on the most flattering dress from him. Maybe he can lend you something. BTW, not clowning, mad props to that guy for dressing the way he wants. Even if I wanted to wear a dress, I just don’t have the legs for it. Why don’t you step it up and instead of doing a dress do yoga pants and tube top?
I… don’t really see how that is stepping it up lol!
Maybe a sideways step. I think guys in dresses is a little played out. Besides, way more women these days wear Yoga pants and the like than dresses. It would be harder to find a guy who can pull off yoga pants than a guy who can pull off wearing a dress. I work in SF and some of these dudes work dresses better than the women around them. No homo.
Regarding the 2015 ITC rules, looks like there is now no Eldar LOW at all, and Orcs can still take ranged D (on the Big Mek Stompa).
Also Renegades/Heretics have no LOW references (are we to assume they follow the ‘Armies of the Imperium’ list using renegade counterparts?) Many of their Devotions have specific LOW allowances…
There are no Eldar superheavies listed because all of the Eldar superheavies have a prohibited feature (Str D gun, AP3 or better template, etc.)
And do they even need it?
Thanks for the response AP. Almost 2/3+ of those Super Heavies that are listed have a AP3 or better template… I don’t recall that being a criteria… I suspect they were omitted due to the Holo fields headache (as well as D weapon) I am just looking for confirmation. And that it was not an oversight. If it was indeed due to AP3 template then the accepted list needs to be re-evaluated as it’s incredibly biased against only certain armies.
It’s a Helstrom Template with Torrent that is the killer, not just the Helstorm Template, itself.
And yeah, bummer, all Eldar LoW are on the shit list at present.
Don’t worry, they will soon make a super heavy Eldar troop choice with more ridiculous rules than the Lynx or Revenant.
Ah gothcha, Helstorm+torrent, that is a sick combo to face. Poor pointy ears no LOW for them….
Any insight into the Renegade question…?
That’s my salamander landraider!
It looks awesome, well done!