Warmachine: Where to Start?
So you’re interested in Warmachine/Hordes (WM/H) but don’t know how to get into the game. Here are some pointers as to good places to start collecting models.
Regardless of how you were introduced to WM/H, sooner or later you need to bite the bullet and start collecting an army of your own. That can be somewhat difficult with WM/H as each of the armies (give or take Convergence) have grown to include a dizzying number of choices. Thankfully, there are a few solid entry points into the game that can help you ease into your new army.
Battlegroup Box Sets:
Although the individual choices in the battlegroup box set for each faction have waxed and waned in terms of efficacy over the years, there are a few reasons why they are still a good way to get into the game if you’re just starting out:
- Most of the sets contain strong warcasters/warlocks (‘caster/’locks) that will be useful to you in the long term.
- All of the sets cut you a pretty good deal on the models included (assuming, of course, that you actually want or will use all of them, which varies by set).
- Many leagues start out at the set level (or rough equivalent), so this gives you an easy way to get what you need to get involved with those events (more on leagues in general in a bit).
Not all sets are created equal; it is worth doing additional research to determine how much use/value you will get out of a particular set in the long term. Even if you decide to go with another option, the battlegroup box sets are a good place to start your purchase considerations.
It is also worth noting that Privateer Press has published alternative battlegroup sets for each faction. These alternatives can give you a different starting point if you want to use a different ‘caster/’lock than what is in the retail box set, and it provides box set options for Mercenary and Minion players. They can be found in the Journeyman League rules hosted on Privateer Press’ website (link).
Here is the link to the printer friendly version of the 2015 (note that this link probably won’t work when the 2016 rules are published) pdf containing those rules (pg. 3 of the document): Journeyman League Rules (Printer Friendly)
Two Player Battle Boxes:
These are an extrapolation of the battlegroup box sets, and as such are also kind of hit or miss in terms of the models they provide. There are a few upsides to the boxes in general that make them worth considering:
- They are an easy item to split, so if you can find a friend who is interested in splitting the cost of the set with you, you both end up with a decent number of starting models.
- Assuming you split the cost with someone else, the Battle Boxes have more models in them for the same cost (roughly $50 per person), making them a pretty excellent deal.
- The Battle Boxes come with miniature versions of the core rulebook for their respective game system (all the rules, none of the story or model entries). This was a bigger deal before Privateer Press made pdfs of these rules available for free on their website, but it is still nice/handy to have a physical copy of the rulebook.
Going Prime/Primal:
Another potential starting point is to just dive into the game and buy a starting force of your own choosing. This is mostly recommended for seasoned miniature wargamers, and/or those who have friends that can help you make informed choices. As mentioned previously, there are a lot of options out there for each faction, so any help you can get (in real life or online) can save you a lot of money and heartache in the long run.
If you are looking to build your own force, I’d recommend picking one (or more) of the ‘casters/’locks in Warmachine: Prime or Hordes: Primal as your starting point (if applicable; not all factions have that starting point). That set of ‘casters/’locks usually represent the core capabilities of each faction (so they’re a great way to get a feel for the overall play style) and they are usually relatively straightforward while also being reasonably potent (so they are fun to use and still effective as you continue to grow as a player). Many factions find their strongest ‘casters/’locks come from their “original three”, so they’re a great place to start out.
All-In-One Boxes:
These were a limited run from Privateer Press, but if you can find one for your faction of choice, seriously consider grabbing it. They are fantastic deals, and they include an excellent set of starting models that you will typically end up using in most of your lists.
Journeyman Leagues:
Just a quick note here: Journeyman Leagues can be a fantastic way to ease into the game. The difficult dichotomy of starting out in WM/H is that the game doesn’t really come together until you get to the commonly played point levels (35 and 50), but jumping to those point levels too quickly can do a lot to stunt your growth as a player (and drive you a little crazy in the process). Stepping up through levels of growth over several weeks is a great way to start out, and you get the side benefit of meeting other players of (hopefully) similar skill and experience levels.
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Were there any things that really helped you get into the game when you were starting out? Share your tips in the comments!
Also check out Sticks and Dice for more Warmachine and Hordes content!
