Getting started with Specialist Games

[mattl]

Hey all,

I've had a copy of Blood Bowl for a while now, just starting to really get into playing it. I've been reading a lot about Specialist Games and Fanatic, and I would like to try and get a few teams/armies for each of the games in the range, plus The Battle of Five Armies. What's a good way to get started with the boxed games like Epic, BFG and Mordheim? For games like Warmaster, Inquisitor and Necromunda I presume I can just pick up models and use the PDF rulebooks... I picked up a couple Dwarf blisters.

How do I do this properly?

[Lex]

How do I do this properly?

For Warmaster, the community created a nice set of Army counters that can bu used to try out the rules before actually spending the money on minis.
Get a feel of the game
Play around with the various army selectors and select 2 armies your style of gaming fits
Invest in the armies (which will be easier if it is the base six armies or those that GW is  still selling, or by taking minis from alternative source)

And not to forget, what is the local gaming environment like ?  (or what are your options to create one........'

[CyberShadow]

I would always suggest that you start with one or two games first and expand from there if you want. All of the rule books - aside from BofA - are available for free to download from the main GW site. Start there and either just download everything, or pick a couple of games and grab all of the downloads for them. Then, read through the rules and see if you can find an opponent or two. Most miniatures can either be found fairly easily on eBay - Epic, BFG, Warmaster - or sourced from the core ranges - Necromunda, Mordheim, even Inquisitor if you play at 28mm.

Start with a small force of basic troops. For Epic, this would be Marines, Imperial Guard or Orks - all of which are common on eBay, or use counters for the first few games, and feel free to post any questions here.

Welcome.

[parjlarsson]

I've got a box of Dark Future sitting on my floor, and would love to get me some Necromunda, Mordheim, skirmish, Epic, Aeronautica Imperialis and BFG action.

Problem is easily finding players, plus might be moving several times and starting a new career in the near future. So my strategy is this:

Keep up on Ebay and try to find good deals. Epic Titans are low-model-count, high points cost. Same with AI/Epic flyers. Skirmish games like Necromunda/Mordheim and associated (Coreheim, Deathsquads, Killzone, ITEN) are also low-model-count.

Get your name out there on:
http://www.tabletoptournaments.net/index.php
http://nearbygamers.com/
http://www.accessdenied.net/index.htm
http://needgamers.com/members/

...then find the local shops, their facebook page/forum and start networking. Eventually I'll probably be putting up a flyer in game stores looking for people interested in same.

[Darkson]

I find having a group of like-minded gamers that won't mind the fact that occasionally, SG games will not be the most balanced, and are happy to either play "as is", or to come up with some weird scenarios to make a game more fun.


Also, be prepared to look outside of GW - there are plenty of figs from other manufactuers to cover what you'll need, at least more most of the SG systems.

[mattl]

I have the likeminded gamers -- I just want the variety of games. Necromunda and Mordheim seem like something I could play with existing 40k/Warhammer models... I would love to find a copy of a game like Battle of Five Armies, as I feel I could use the minis for Warmaster...

[azrael71]

I have the likeminded gamers -- I just want the variety of games. Necromunda and Mordheim seem like something I could play with existing 40k/Warhammer models... I would love to find a copy of a game like Battle of Five Armies, as I feel I could use the minis for Warmaster...

BOTFA is still for sale on the GW website, the rare times it comes up on eBay it goes for near enough retail price.
I have used the set many times as the source of a few of my armies.

[Brutalrage]

personally id say go with warmaster first.
its the most easy and fun to play imo, slick rules which give fast paced games (in comparison to other tabletop games from GW also)

also, go to the site lex talked about, get some counters and start playin a few demo games. get a feel for the rules and armies. and boom, your hooked to warmaster