So I have been asked alot about the games in the past couple of weeks by a couple of the guys so I figured I'd post up a quick little run down about the games. These overviews are my own, and if anyone would like to comment about one faction that I listed to expand them, please do so. I do not claim to be a know it all about this game, I'm just posting my observations.
While each army has a general flavor, each caster has a play style that changes the way you play the army. A prime Kreoss list (pKreoss) has a specific way it plays; typically it tries to run in and kill the enemy's caster. How ever if you change the list and start with The Harbinger (Harby), the list changes so your typically trying to deny the other player from scoring in scenarios. Each caster also has a once per game ability called a Feat. Feats usually are something that happens to effect the way the game is played for a turn. prime Stryker can buff his army so they take less damage for a turn, or prime Sorcha can make The opponents entire army stationary for a turn (this makes it so the opponents army is easier to hit for the rest of the turn.)
Warmachine -
Primary resource system: Focus
Focus is allocated to the caster at the beginning of the turn. The caster can then allocate up to 3 focus to any jacks he/she has in their battle group. A caster is limited to a mount of focus they can have in a turn.
Cryx - The undead hordes: This faction tends to run infantry heavy, with a couple of jacks to do specific task. Where most 35 point list tend to have 15-20 models on the table, it's not surprising to see 25-30 on a cryx side. The army tends to have tricks to make it hard for others to attack their models, and a lot of debuffs to pass out for their opponents.
Cygnar - Codex: steampunk marines: Cygnar is a ranged heavy army. That said, their only so so at it. They tend to be a little more jack heavy than the rest of the factions (running 3-4 in a list). This doesn't limit the army though since they have a solo unit that can actually control one of the jacks. The casters tend to buff their forces, and help targeting enemies.
Khador - The red machine: Khador is the beaters of the game. Their army is heavily armored, and armed. They tend to be slow because of this. Their casters are similar to cygnar, but also have some misdirection tactics that they can do.
Protectorate of Menoth - Crazy Zealots: POM is a synergy heavy army. There are things in the army that require a bit of attention to make sure that your activating in the right order some times. Jacks are the only real heavy hitters in the army and a bit of the armies synergy focuses on them. The casters tend to help the synergies of the army by giving them boost where it's needed.
Retribution of Scyrah - Space elves in space: This army is one of the newer armies and hasn't had much of it's models come out yet. They tend to be a mixed bag of being good at both melee and ranged. Their casters are very focused in their roles and doesn't leave much wiggle room. The army in the right hands can be very deadly.
Mercenaries - Pirates, Dwarves, and rebels oh my: These 3 sub factions are tough to describe, mostly because you'll see their elements everywhere. The armies are kinda limited, but can be tough if your not use to them.
Hordes -
Primary Resource System: Fury -
Fury is the exact opposite of focus. The caster (Warlock) starts the game with their fury total. They use the fury by casting spells. As they activate the Warbeast, they can make their beast do stuff (against their will most of the time), and make them gain fury. At the beginning of the next turn, the caster can reeve the fury off the beast, and add it to their fury pool. Any fury that they can not remove, forces the beast to take a threshold check. If the beast fails, they go into a frenzy. During this time, the beast makes checks to see who's closer and attacks them (see frenzy in the main rule book to read up on how the beast determines who their attacking.)
Circle of Orboros - Tree huggers: The Circle are tricksters. I tend to feel that they borrow their play style from ret and cryx. Their beast are fast and fragile, and their casters tend to be more about misdirection than straight forward battle.
Legion of Everblight - The dragons of everblight: The legion is a tough combination of both cryx and protectorate. They can buff their own units out the ying-yang, and also debuff yours. Their beast hit like trucks, and most of the army can ignore the pieces of terrain on the table.
Skorne - the undead ninjas: (I'll admit that I don't have much experience against them. I think in the year I have been playing I have only played them once.)
Trollbloods - redneck natives: They love their land almost as much as they love their beer. The Trollbloods are a complex combination of Khador, and POM. They have thick skins and rely on synergy to help drive their enemies from their lands. Despite their heavy armor and having the ability Tough (Kinda like FNP only on a 5+), their not that slow. Average speed with things in the army that helps speed them up.
Minions - UofA and UofF in a book: The farrow and the blindwater cartel are the two contracts in the minions book and their the newest book on the block. Both contracts are still early so there isnt many models out for the, but with the expansion book due out in aug or sept (cant remember), their due more options and better alternate casters.
Subject: Warmachine / Hordes Primer 
4th July 2011, 2:13 am
