Warhounds 2 Warmasters

A series following a collection of would-be Admirals taking on the challenge of building a fleet in an entirely new game system; Dystopian Wars by Warcradle

Empire of the Baldest

Greetings, hello and welcome… wait that should be:

Avast! Ahoy! Etc

I’m Richard, Rich, Rick, PartridgeKing, bald Rick – notably not Baldrick that’s someone else, don’t get confused – long time wargamer, occasional writer and general practitioner of the “why use one word when three would do” modus operandi. (Ed Note – Also and far more commonly, simply ‘Partridge’)

Brief gaming credentials are:

I started with 5^th Edition Warhammer Fantasy playing Lizardmen, played a bit of Mordheim, started collecting Tyranids in the early 00s but never played 40k properly. I then started GM-ing pen and paper RPGs age 13 and never stopped. I loved the idea of, but never played Inquisitor. I then got back into wargaming properly at university with budget Battlefleet Gothic, won an Archon in a GW shop competition when the new Dark Eldar range came out in 5^th and fell deeply into my sadistic murder elves (especially the Haemonculus Covens) until 8^th and 9^th killed off most of the flavour of 40k for me.

Started playing Dropzone Commander, kickstarted Dropfleet Commander and still play both. (Ed Note: Here, Partridge is being rather humble about his involvement with Dropfleet Commander, his is a voice listened to keenly by those of us fielding Scourge fleets) From there, I found my way via Frostgrave, Warcry etc to the glory that is Adeptus Titanicus, which is, to my mind, the best game Games Workshop have ever made.

These days AT is my main game, and when the clarion call from Warhounds2Warmasters went out discussing this other (and ship related) game made by the same lead designer as AT I was very, very intrigued. Even more-so when I realised that my relatively recently made acquaintance with a very good natured and friendly chap called James happened to actually be the same James as Dystopian Wars’ lead designer! It was too good a call not to answer! (Ed Note: A fact that we were blissfully unaware of until AFTER Partridge had been given a place at the Admiral’s Table)

So, I’m coming at this from a slightly different direction from the other Admirals in that I’m due to move house sometime in the next month – the explicit deadline being mid-April – so for the short term most of my time (and funds) are going to be unsurprisingly caught up in the moving process. Not only that but due to life-stuff™ and distance from the other Admirals I can’t meet up for a game easily, or likely at all anytime soon. (Ed Note: Here, Partridge is entirely wrong as he vastly misjudged the willingness to travel of some of the Admirals – no doubt there will be more on this later)

To that end my current focus is less on building or painting models and more on planning lists and learning rules, with a side order of making up lore for my force (something I am traditionally very prone to, as my extensive Adeptus Titanicus Legio background, flash fiction and nearly 30,000 word event write-up can attest to). (Another Ed Note: The event in question had a joint write-up which was not quite 30,000 words but it was certainly a full read of Partridge and Tim’s attendance at the Doubles event. This guest article was a victim of Incompetince Editoria, insofar as I managed to not-publish the draft and move it into a separate bin of articles that have failed to see the light of day. The formatting went to hell and I am working on restoring it so that it can be published correctly)

To start I had to decide on a faction! I’d joined the process slightly later than the others due to initially thinking that moving would completely obviate my ability to take part, but following a conversation with Jay, and a hefty amount of my own hyperfocus catching on the keen going round, meant that I’ve hopefully worked out a way to get involved and join the other Admirals in setting sail (perhaps raising steam) in this Dystopian Age!

Looking through the Factions, I had my traditional surge of pseudo-patriotism that drew me towards the Crown, but with Alex definitely already committed to them and with the possibility of a local Crown opponent once I move (more on that later), my eye moved on. Looking primarily at the Factions that didn’t already have a definite Admiral – or only one – led me to the Enlightened, the Empire and the Sultanate. From there I tried to let the miniatures themselves guide me, as I’ve found that every faction has at least one model or group of models that I absolutely love the aesthetic of…. and at least one that I really don’t gel with. After several hours in front of the Faction ID documents, the decision was made through the strength of the Ika Colossi. Giant robot squid!

Done!

Special mentions must go to the Sultanate’s Alsaqr which as, in my opinion one of, if not the best, looking model in the entire range (and which just pops in the art) almost sold me on the Sultanate all by itself, and the Enlightened’s Chione, Myriapoda Colossi & Aronnax Vermiforma Colossus, which made the decision more difficult…. Until I read the Crimson League Mercenary Battlefleet which allows me to add all of these units to the Empire, that is.

But yes, with the Faction decision made, I began my planning, which mostly came down to asking “Which units must I have in my final force?”, “Which units do I explicitly not want?” and “What is the most cost effective way of answering both of the previous questions?”.

This led in turn to the following mental list which I’ve made into a table because I’ve found that tables work better in articles as opposed to simply gesturing at the PC and hoping you’ll get what I mean through some form of experimental, delayed telepathy.

MUST HAVE UNITS	DON’T WANT	CAN DO WITHOUT
Ika Colossi (preferably both types)	Dragons (not sure why but they don’t do it for me)	The Sky Forts (the smaller ones are cool but I’m still unsure if the Zhanmadao actually sits one column left of here so for now all of them are here)
Submarines! (all types are very cool and in the long run I’m hoping to have all of them)		Most of the big flagships (they all look cool and their rules are great but I don’t mind not having them
MAGMA GENERATORS! (I don’t think that needs more explanation really)
At least one ship with the Bombardment guns! (Artillery is awesome)
Hexie (it looks adorable and Zebeks are one of my favourite age of sail ship types – probably a longer term addition but eventually I’ll have little hovercraft AA guns!)

Next step was to work out how to make these preferences into something that could be a list, and subsequently an actual collection of models (preferably as cost effectively as possible). Looking at the box options it was clear I’d need at a minimum:

1. Ika Colossus Squadron box
2. Japanese Support Squadrons box
3. Something containing a Flagship!
4. The Valour cards, dice, templates etc
5. Enough Line/Patrol ships to actually make a legal list

Now point 2 & 3 could technically be combined by the Hachiman Battlefleet, but wouldn’t solve point 4. I’d also quite like to have a mixed nation force in the end, and while aesthetically I like the Japanese big flagships I think I prefer the Chinese and I’m okay with only having smaller flagships.

Then came the Dominion of the Dragon reveal.

Covers point 4, can potentially cover points 3 & 5, and comes with brand new flying options that I really like aesthetically! Plus, it comes with Crown models, civilian models, platforms and starter campaign stuff. The first part of that is pretty handy because as I alluded to earlier, I’m moving and once moved I’ll be even further from the other Admirals BUT I will be less than 5 minutes from a good friend who played the Crown in 1^st Edition and is interested by the possibility of playing more. So a significant upside to getting a two player starter! Platforms, civilian models etc seem like easy terrain options straight out of the gate and coupled with the giant rocks I own from Dreadfleet, and the ability to layer cork into other shapes I’m probably sorted there.

But there is a considerable elephant (or perhaps a pair of dragon-shaped issues) in the room/box.

That being the pair of Draconic Colossi. Two copies of a model I don’t want to own (even if technically this is a new version and three new units).

Now in a perfect world (or at least a slightly more reasonably perfect world than the ones where I can paint well at the speed of thought, and don’t need to carefully consider my hobby budget) I’d be able to ask Warcradle ever so nicely if I could get a copy of the box without dragons, and maybe something else instead, but sadly the world is not that perfect!

So I have either to suddenly get happy with Dragons aesthetically or find someone to trade/sell them on to – or not get the box but honestly it would be foolish not to get it at this point. Currently I’m leaning toward the second option, so on the off chance I haven’t yet found a dragon-enjoyer to adopt my nascent wyrms, feel free to hit me up! (Ed Note: I can only respect such a blatant shill for one’s own benefit – Partridge can usually be found on the Warhounds2Warmasters Discord for those looking to make contact)

With that in mind, and with my desire for subs and squid, my list of hulls and options looks like it will be:

• 2x Hokkaido/Honshu/Kanagawa/Miyagi/Osaka/Oni/Yamaguchi
• 2x Kyoto/Sakata
• 2x Sanshin/Hobakbeol/Hwanung (points and information tbc)
• 4x Bangpae (points and information tbc)
• 2x Koromodako/Kensai/Ryujin/Umibozu
• 2x Chubu
• 2x Sakata (which might be able also be Kyoto not sure)
• 2x Kaiju/Ofukoro

Not a bad start! The only Flagship option is the Oni, but I’ve really come to like it as a theme so no issues there, and until we know more about the Korean flyers I’ve got to assume they’re not going to fill mandatory list slots, so can’t take them into account for list building. That aside it’s got options and if I leave out the Ika Colossi until I’ve got to grips with the rules I’ve still got list options I like.

Now, I mentioned that I won’t get to have models for a while (potentially as late as the end of April/beginning of May) so gaming options are limited, but importantly non-zero. This is due to pre-existing distance/life-stuff™ a significant amount of my wargaming occurs digitally though Tabletop Simulator, or TTS.

TTS is a fantastic tool that ‘easily’ lets one play wargames with opponents all over the world (or most accurately, it lets me organise games with people that are realistically in driving distance but are not often in time-tabling ‘distance’). It’s also one of the most infuriating systems possible with a fantastic physics engine that will often get in the way of actually playing. It’s great and without it I’d not get to play half as often as I do, but it will never be as good as the real thing. Upside though is that it’s a great way to test list ideas before you commit funds or glue to a specific idea. Which, as I’m potentially not going to physically put myself in front of the other Admirals often, is likely to be how I play them most of the time – even if I have to teach some of them how to use TTS first (not looking at anyone in particular)! (Ed Note: I’m just waiting in anticipation for your article on that… be kind? I have an infinite capacity for malice-in-editing)

So, with all of that in mind, looking at the ships I’m likely to own soonest (Dominion of the Dragon and Subs) I made a 700pt list to try out on TTS.

Battlefleet Slot	Ship	Weapons/Systems
Flagship	Oni Command Cruiser	2x Baoyu Repeating Guns Heavy Shield Generator
Line	Hokkaido Heavy Cruiser	2x Focused Heavy Alchemical Rockets 1x Focused Light Corrosive Mortar
Line	4x Sakkata Heavy Destroyers	2x Light Gun Batteries 3x Light Alchemical Rockets 3x Light Corrosive Mortars
Support	2x Kansai Submarines

Nothing too complicated but enough that I can actually get a feel for the game playing with Core Rules+ (Core Rules+ being most of the Advanced Rules but not the Valour and Victory cards and relatively limited force selection to ensure it’s not too complicated). Seems like a good idea, and while the rulebook recommends you just got with the Core Rules to start with… ships catastrophically exploding is always more fun, and with Adeptus Titanicus as my main game I’m hoping I’ll get by!

Looking forward to the next article, my aim is to have come up with a theme for my force so I can get into the narrative space, a potential paint scheme for when I have models, and a direction to expand beyond 700pts that is more than just “add Squid. Profit!”.

So, until then, Batten down the hatches! Load the torpedoes! And Set Condition One Throughout the Fleet!