wishlisting, what do you think should be in a Hordes 2player starter box?

[Keravin]

Well the Warmachine one did the first MOW plastics so I would expect to see something new in the Hordes one. And Warspears are a 5 man unit and Fennblades a 10 man one. Hence why I think it might be something else than Fennblades.

[stereynolds]

I'd expect Legion and Circle.

Circle becuase in the fluff they were the main opposers to the Legion and tried to manipulate the Trollbloods into it. Therefore they strike me as the 'main' army in Hordes. Legion becuase they're the BIG THREAT (like Nids in 40K) who want to chow down on everyone. That and Legion have popular competitive lists.

Don't get me wrong I like Trollbloods but I don't think they'll make the cut. DOn't get me started on how tacked on/rubbish SKorne seem to be.

[Dais]

I would say Skorne and Circle would make the best starter depending on contents. Circle could get a much-needed tweek to it's beast loadout. Circle and skorne also have very distinct visuals that don't look as similar as some of the trolls to circle's larger brutes or circle's agile hunters and mages to, well, legion's agile hunters and mages. There would also be a less overt goodguy/badguy dynamic than trolls vs. legion as well. Circle has enough fantasy tropes to bring in the fans of druids and werewolves while skorne are unique enough to have the game not look like every other game on the market.

[RandomThoughts]

I'd expect Legion and Circle.

Circle becuase in the fluff they were the main opposers to the Legion and tried to manipulate the Trollbloods into it. Therefore they strike me as the 'main' army in Hordes.

I think the official studio line is (or was) that trollbloods are the protagonist faction of Hordes the same way Cygnar are the protagonists of Warmachine. Which I guess is supposed to mean that they are the good guys because they only want to be left alone while the other factions are all the bad guys because they attack others unprovoked.

Legion becuase they're the BIG THREAT (like Nids in 40K) who want to chow down on everyone. That and Legion have popular competitive lists.

Don't get me wrong I like Trollbloods but I don't think they'll make the cut. DOn't get me started on how tacked on/rubbish SKorne seem to be.

While I agree about the Circle / Tyranids comparison, I don't see how Skorne are less of a thread. I mean, they are this huge aggressive invasion force from another galaxy (or at least an empire that's so far away it's not even on the map), with a pretty vicious streak . basically the worst combination of ancient Roman slave owner mentality, far eastern crualty (as imagined by the west), with a visual style that also alludes to Samurai culture as well as the eastern/southern people following Sauron in the Lord of the Rings.

But then again, my perspective might be a bit Warmachine-centric, so perhaps I'm focused too much on nations and conquest. ^^

[stereynolds]

Ok having now read some Skorne fluff maybe they aren't as tacked on as I thought :P

I like the look of the Skorne infantry but the warbeasts put me off a little. It does have the samurai thing going on which could pull people in. Having thought some more on it I believe the box could include:

'Good' Guys - Trollbloods or Circle
'Bad' Guys - Skorne or Legion

That way you've got the invaders and the defenders, although I'd still expect Legion to get put in over Skorne.

[DeeKay]

In terms of existing models, it seems that Trollbloods and Legion would be the safe bet. Personally I hope it will be Circle/Skorne. As far as I see it, we have the scale of "good guys" to "bad guys" in both WM and Hordes (it seems a little more mutable in WM though) Circle and Skorne seem to sit in the middle ground of the scale as it were. Circle are at heart pragmatic tree-huggers and Skorne, though definitely evil, do not exude the same level of body horror and unnatural fear that Legion do. That and plastic Tharn might tempt me to do a small Kromac force.

With regards,
Dan.

[Keravin]

I still think the way to look at the box is that it is a starter box. Legion and Circle are the more complicated armies to play whilst Skorne and Trolls follow similar lines to Menoth and Khador from the Warmachine set.

[RandomThoughts]

Ok having now read some Skorne fluff maybe they aren't as tacked on as I thought :P

I like the look of the Skorne infantry but the warbeasts put me off a little. It does have the samurai thing going on which could pull people in.

Same thing here, the Warbeasts always put me off, that and the non-human appearance and the excessive amount of cruelty in the fluff. Also, I generally prefer speed and finesse over brute force, which would make the Skorne pretty unsuitable to me, I guess..

Having thought some more on it I believe the box could include:

'Good' Guys - Trollbloods or Circle
'Bad' Guys - Skorne or Legion

That way you've got the invaders and the defenders, although I'd still expect Legion to get put in over Skorne.

Thing is, the Circle is far from being the good guys, from what I understand. Like I said above, PP seems to choose a "we're only defending ourselves against the incursions of the other factions" innovent / noble / victim protagonist faction for both their games. The twist on Circle is more or less that they didn't openly attack the Trollbloods, but instead treated them like pawns in their games, until the Trollbloods realized what they were doing and struck back with force (as they were unable to match the schemes of the Circle). Which basically makes the Circle one of the "predator factions", even though they are probably as close to being "the good guys" as anyone outside of Cygnar and Trollbloods ever will.

Just my opinion, though.

[stereynolds]

I am inclined to agree with you after further thought. Scale of good to bad proably goes:

Trollbloods - Good
Circle - Okish but do what they view as nessecerily evil things to get there
Skorne - Bad but are trying to reclaim their leaders throne from his brother
Legion - Just plain evil

[RandomThoughts]

I am inclined to agree with you after further thought.

A common occurence.

Scale of good to bad proably goes:

Trollbloods - Good
Circle - Okish but do what they view as nessecerily evil things to get there
Skorne - Bad but are trying to reclaim their leaders throne from his brother
Legion - Just plain evil

While I agree mostly, one could also take the view that both Cryx and Everblight are beyond human notions of good and bad. A bit like a king will wage war against another king without any concern for the peasants that get hurt as a result, or a Warlock sending his warbeasts to fight his war for him.

They are both dragons, after all, beings that think of humans probably the same way we think of animals.

Just a thought, though.

[Bael]

Have Privateer mentioned doing a 2-player box for Hordes or is that just a wish list item as well as the possible contents?

[Thanatos_elNyx]

I would have expected the Trollbloods and one other as you need a good guy and a bad guy in a starter box.
But the WM box has two 'bad guys' factions so that means Trollbloods are not necessarily a shoe in.

AFAIK Skorne is probably the least played faction in Hordes; and yet they are getting the biggest push in the most recent fluff in Domination; so it would make sense that they get in a starter. Though given the target of the invasion it might even be a starter box that has both a Hordes and Warmachine faction in it. How cool (if unrealistic) would that be!?

So that leaves Circle and Legion; as it happens these are my favourite factions in Hordes simply because they seem like the most interesting.
So yeah it is a tough call.

While I agree mostly, one could also take the view that both Cryx and Everblight are beyond human notions of good and bad. A bit like a king will wage war against another king without any concern for the peasants that get hurt as a result, or a Warlock sending his warbeasts to fight his war for him.

They are both dragons, after all, beings that think of humans probably the same way we think of animals.

Just a thought, though.

I concur; from a Human POV, the Dragons are evil; but I think Everblight sees himself as the hero in his story as he tries to defeat his father.

[Darwin_green]

so, it wound up being Legion vs Circle, huh? http://privateerpress.com/hordes/gal...attlegroup-box

[Dyrnwyn]

so, it wound up being Legion vs Circle, huh? http://privateerpress.com/hordes/gal...attlegroup-box

Yup. And the value is astounding. for $100, you get the two battleboxes (Circle's is altered, and arguably better than the standard, with an extra point) Then a full unit of Warpborn Skinwalkers and a full unit of Warspears. The battleboxes alone are worth $100, but with the two units, that's an extra $129 worth of models, plus whatever you value the mini-rulebook at.

[HRM]

I only play one faction (Khador) but I'll likely be picking this up to dip my feet into Hordes.

[Jim Bowen]

Would have been nice to see Skorne in there but it was unlikely as I don't think they have a Resin troop set as it happens the Legion vs Circle looks like a great set up might get back into Legion off the back of this

[witchunter180]

Was so hoping skorne were getting in but as Jim suggests, its probably 'casue skorne don't have the plastic troops yet. Maybe if someone wants the circle units I grab one but this time I'll wait till someone's there with me lol

[Darwin_green]

I would have started trollbloods right away if they were in the set with resin champions, but then it would be too good of a value.

[witchunter180]

Yup just like metal or resin cetrati would have been too good a deal

[Darwin_green]

if they had resin skorne, i think it would be the Accuri. kind of like how they have cinerators instead of bastions in the Warmachine box.