Kings of War/Warpath

So, i'm always on the lookout for the next miniature wargame to buy some minis for and try out, but let's face it: the vast majority of miniatures on the market look like dog shit.
But yesterday evening, i stumbled upon mantic games. And i gotta say, they make some cool minis. And holy shit, the prices aren't even that bad. Apparently, for 3 bucks more than a GW start collecting, i can get an entire army.

So enlighten me on these 2 system, Veeky Forums. Are they fun to play? How complex are they? Are smaller, skirmish level games viable?

KoW is a big block shuffle game like WHFB was around 6th edition. It's balanced, even more so with the Clash of Kings FAQ, and the armies fit most of the themes you can want in a fantasy army. There is a Mantic-published Mordheim-like version of this, but KoW really shines from 50 to 10 minis on the table on each side. It is very fun, doesn't rely on luck much, and plays pretty fast.

I only played the skirmish version of Warpath (Deadzone) and it's pretty fun, if standard.

Super fun, less complex, just as epic.

My only gripe is that my Skaven warlord baseline kicks the shit out of a Lizardman saurus oldblood

About the armies and the units, the profiles are generally balanced around a few baseline roles (standard infantry, high-attack infantry, light cav, etc), and then you have special rules on top of that, or variants. Not all armies have access to everything and some special rules combo are better than others, but overall it doesn't give some armies a clear advantage. Other good point is there is no trap option, since you know you pay for what you get.

The army selection is based on regiments and hordes unlocking monsters, warmachines and heroes. A regiment can be 20 infantry, 10 cavalry or 3 monstrous infantry/cavalry and unlocks one of the choices, a horde is double that and unlocks one of each, so if you want to play, say, full trolls, you don't have a core tax to pay.

KoW it's bretty good, its more balanced than most, simple and lean, not much magic and list building will not win games, not much cheese units either, its more about having a varied army with a bit of everything or than compsenate they weakness together, the scenarios are fun too.
I go you go game, some people have gripes with it but to me makes it simpler. I prefer 15mm games or under that in general, and it works well (change your inches to cm and not much more, foot print its all that matters).
I don't know why isn't talked more, the game is very solid,perhaps because some minis are dogshit, others are meh and some are cool, but like lots of manufacturers.

My problem with KoW is that while half the models are ither ok or good, the remaining half looks like dog-shit. All their dorfs save the sorcerers are awful.

Good thing no one will say anything if you play with other manufacturers. Tough I like the Dorf fortress look of them,.

Good thing you can play it with the models you want. I advise Avatar of War's dwarves.

>I don't know why isn't talked more, the game is very solid
Well there is nothing much to complain about.

I mean if we had a general what would we talk about ?

That's a good point. Without bitching thread here tend to die.

I mean, we used to have AARs posted by the batfish guy (very good ones), and lists but since the game's balanced we couldn't really criticize the list unless we saw it on the field. The lore isn't much to discuss about neither. Also I don't know if there is enough releases to feed a general.

do they have a right up on any of the lore i can't find any i'm thinking about getting into this game

The lore can be found in the rulebook, I don't think there is any lore in the free rules .pdf.

Anyway it's not stellar, it's a world rebuilding after a celestial war which created a gateway to hell, then Elsa from Frozen trying to take over the remnants.

>we used to have AARs posted by the batfish guy (very good ones)

I'm still here, but I've stopped with the batreps. The time investment in making battle reports was a bit steep. And besides, I mostly started them because I thought the community needed it at the time- when 2nd Ed dropped there was a sudden tidal wave of interest but nothing was on youtube for new players to get them excited (apart from some tripe from Beasts of War). My first vid got lots of views (in relative terms) even though it was terrible, because there weren't other KoW batreps.

Nowadays there's Gaming with the Cooler, Guerilla Miniature Games, Master Crafted, Rough Rider, Ultimate Power Gamer, Holy Diver, Andrew Gale and Andy 2d6. I don't think I'm needed now.

I loved them trough, it's what got me in the game and back to painting. Thanks user.

I was also disappointed by the dwarves initially, but I really like how they paint up. Just play with a different model range.

I really like Kings of War. Easy to pick up, fast, feels balanced, surprising depth even though the army lists all look simple and similar.

They had an event recently to progress the fluff.

I don't know much about everything that transpired, but in a nutshell, basically the good guys won on most fronts except for one forest area.

Since we're discussing KoW, I would like to ask.

Does anyone have the PDFs of the recent rules, including the formations and new spells? I really want them so badly and I've been asking /awg/ about it but either I don't get links or replies, or I keep missing them. If anyone who has them would be kind enough to share them, I'd be grateful for it.

Andy 2d6's obsession with hand hygiene is a bit concerning.

>the vast majority of miniatures on the market look like dog shit

>[mantic] makes some cool minis


mantic are the dollar store chinese knock offs minis for disenfranchised WHFB players
KoW as a system is basically a super fast table-top total war game -- models don't die, instead you track casualities a unit has taken and then roll morale checks (2d6+cas). When units rout you take the whole rectangle off the table.

If you play with multibasing and you're a reasonably educated individual a 3000 point game should take you 90 to 120 minutes (assuming your opponent is also reasonably educated)


It's not really a skirmish game system, but if you want to try it out get some cardboard rectangles out and roll some dice, pretty great system, the minis barring the undead are fucking abysmal. Their ogres are especially shit and should be avoided at all costs.

There's some wonky balance issues but the rules are fairly clean so it's easy to forgive it.


We used to have a KoWg on Veeky Forums about 2 years ago but it died since Mantic doesn't exist outside of the UK, ditto for KoW events and tournaments. Currently the latest drama in the KoW community are toy-based-armies and people fighting over if they're allowed or not.

At clash of kings only 90% of your army has to be mantic models to win fully painted, so if your giant is a he-man action figure and you repaint it with sick blending and layering you could win best painted with a fucking man-doll as a giant.

Which is pretty good in my book


TL;DR: KoW is a great game with unforgivably shit models

>At clash of kings only 90% of your army has to be mantic models
That's wrong tho. Even at the official mantic tournament there is no compulsion to have antic models. However, the painting is taken into account with precise rules.

Yeah, the Dwarfs are certainly not the finest, but i really like the Forgefathers from Warpath, for example.

Mantic minis are a pretty mixed bag.

A lot of their older stuff looks like hot garbage, but most of their new models are pretty good. The main reason that the quality is so inconsistent is because they have no in-house modeler and have to contract out whatever shitty modeler they can afford, and recently that budget has increased significantly.

After playing KoW I have no idea how I used to used to put up with model removal in WFB. It just seems to tedious and backwards now, I don't think I could ever go back for mass battle games.

Not enough magic for my tastes, nor rules for things like Coven Engine, Corpse Cart, Spirit Hosts or things of that nature.

Back in WHFB, I played Vampire Counts with a focus on magic and Necromancers, so KoW's undead just don't fit the bill.

I'm sure its fine for other armies though.

read the fcuking post, read the clash of kings tournament pack for 2017

now stop posting on Veeky Forums forever you illiterate retard

They are coming out with a skirmish version of Kings of War, Kings of War Vanguard soon.

Kings of War itself is pretty fucking sweet. With the errata, FAQ, supplements, and general support, you have a very tightly balanced game that is pretty much at version 3.0. You can use any miniatures from any manufacturers, which is good for your wallet and preferences, but also leads to a lot of variety with armies. You will see a lot more creativity in the realm of modeling and such with Kings of War than you will in any other game. As someone who mainly plays wargames for the hobby, it is why Kings of War is my main game.

I have no experience with Warpath or related games.

I personally like how they demphasize giant centerpiece models. Pushing those kits was one of WHFB's main mistakes. Kings of War does a good job at emphasizing actual fighting dudes, which is nice.

>You will see a lot more creativity in the realm of modeling and such with Kings of War than you will in any other game

This. The multibasing helps a lot, too.

Eh; the problem in that comes fron shit like Wurms still being a thing. Not to mention thats just a minor gripe;

I almost always used Master Necromancers as my hero's, as I loved the idea of summoning hordes of monsters and drowning the enenmy in flesh and bone. I can't really replicate the same feeling as playing as a Evil Wizard of Darkness in KoW.

Wasn't that coming out soon two years ago

>Not enough magic for my tastes
>Back in AoS,
fair fix

What do you mean? The game was only announced this month. You might be thinking of one of the main game's supplements.

>Basilea still looks like generic paladins, instead of Byzantine fantasy version
Missed opportunity

Are those Basileans fighting Night Stalkers?

I just want decent 28mm Byzantine cataphracts. Maybe Fireforge will deliver with their plastics.

Yep. With some concept art as well it seems like they are going to be moving into Night Stalkers, if only just for Vanguard.

>AoS
>Magic
>Here's your 2 spells everyone knows, 1 unique spell, and oh! If your lucky, you can get 1 more from your book? Oh wait, you play death? Lolno.

By magic, I meant Wizards in game, not setting wise. I liked how powerful, yet crazy and unstable wizards were in WHFB. They just feel so neutered in KoW

So let me get this straight those dudes on the right aren't gonna have minis in standard kings of war?

No. All minis in Vanguard are usable in regular Kings of War. It is more likely that they won't get big troop boxes to start with.

They might, they said they want to do theme ventually. But the army is pretty weird with shit like Scarecrows, doppelgangers, some eldritch stuff. Everything spooky that sin't demons or undead

fascinating Lore.

I know a shop whose manager is kickstarting a scarecrow resin kit

>tfw use circular bases on all my stuff because it looks better
>KoW really appeals to me right now

Fuck, it's okay for infantry because I can just spread them around the base, and even units of bigger stuff like 3-6 Ogres or Trolls I can make a base for.

What about single miniatures though? I guess I could put a square of plasticard under their normal base. Or do you think casually they won't mind circular bases if I give them a bit of leeway?

Oh sweet a Mantic thread! Mind if I post some pics of my stuff? I just recently played my first games of Deadzone and it was a total blast. Which is a shame I guess since I kickstarted the first one and didn't play until just now.. But y'all don't care about my rants anyway so I'll just post pics.

I know I know "Thin your paints"..

The Rebs (currently not in Warpath/Firefight) are a cool faction in Deadzone. A motley crew of different xenos who band together to fight the expanding control of the GCPS. Sorta.

...

...

Is there a plan to make the rebs in warpath or are they limited to Deadzone for the foreseeable future ?

The Asterians are "space elves" who use constructs, drones and such to fight instead of actual flesh and blood troops.

There are definitely plans for them. Though I can't give you a time estimate but hopefully not too far off in the future.

I say "definitely" but I actually don't know. The fans/players are clamoring for it though and Mantic so far has been pretty cool with the playerbase. So I'm pretty sure an army list is in the works.

I like the creative freedoms the Warpath universe offers. Since it's so fresh and new I think a lot of different.. ideas for lack of a better word can be implemented. There's a clear lack of skulls on everything.

There's a clear halo influence in those guys.

Like a "superhero" program funded by some big corporation looking to sell more merch.

It's intentional on my part. Glad you noticed the reference!

Here's some of the more elite Enforcers. A Strider and Peacekeepers.

So they have plans for another plastic army for kings of war. Any ideas?

Also what units haven't gotten models yet? Looking to jump into the game with the fishmen.

They have a huge amount of models that don't have actual models for, especially the human nations and stuff. They're doing the cool stuff that GW used to do where they'd make rules for things that make sense and then fill in models later, or never, or with kitbashes or whatever

I like to describe the Enforcers as "space marines in iron man armor". There's more to them but that gives you an idea of what they are.

Then there's the Plague. A scourge on the galaxy that infects and mutates it's victims into monsters. It's got big baddies, zombies, beasts and a lot of close quarter killyness.

I really need to take a new pic of those. That looks awful..!

What I want is rules for Martians in Warpath. There are fanmade rules for Deadzone that are "sort of official". Had a blast painting these guys.

I made a Big Stompy Robot that fits in better with the theme I'm going for.

...

Apologies if Mars Attacks is considered unfitting for the thread. It's Mantic stuff and you can use them in Deadzone so figured it'd be alright.

Moving on, here's the Mantic mascot guy Blaine! A regular in kickstarters.

Another merc.

And some more Enforcers.

It's okay.

Some Forge Fathers artillery.

Oh those look cool. Is that a turtle formation thing with the spears pointing out in the back? What's with the bases of the skellingtons?

Some Veer-Myn Tunnel Runners, and with that I'll stop spamming with pics. Would love to see what you have to share!

OP here. I'll forgive you for posting Mars Attacks, as long as you'll post some more Forgefathers. I really like these guys.
Also, thanks for all the replies. I just discovered that all the core rulebooks are free.
Read through KoW so far, seems like a fun game. Glanced over the 3 different Warpath books, and i sure like that there is a ruleset that supports movement trays, one for loose groops, and one for skirmish. I'll definitely give these systems a spin.

Like the idiot I am I haven't taken any more pics of my Forge Fathers. They're pretty much all done though.

But I offer you another rat!

Rats are pretty cool, too.

>want to try it
>don't want to rebase all of my stuff

How is your army based? WFB should be fine. Hordes of the Things less so.

25mm round and 40mm round for Ogre-sized things. 50mm for a few larger Reaper Bones I use in Frostgrave.

Went to Mantic HQ this week.

Vanguard will be kickstarter and it should be dropped at the end of the month.

GCPS vehicle should drop in November

You do realize that there are movement trays for round bases, right?

>not using mom miniatures for your dwarves

Plebs

>Their ogres are especially shit and should be avoided at all costs.

Yeah, but what about solo characters and monsters?

Yeah there's two skellington units in turtle formations. I put the other skellies on different bases to break the rank and file aspect.

Take a square base larger than your round base. Put milliput on the corners to create a slot to fit your round base in.

Are the Chaos / Infernal Dwarf models any good?

Also, are the sea people faction mainly men or women? I can't tell.

I'm wondering if they're ever going to do the Twilight Kin.

The Naiads are intentionally androgynous. The Chaos Dwarves are OK. They are just the plastic Dwarves with metal conversion bits. They look better than the paint jobs would make them out to be, but I still prefer the Forgeworld models.

See
Additionally glue magnets to the bases to help keep them in place.

They already did, but they no longer sell the line as they plan on redoing them, along with refluffing them somewhat. It's a shame as their sorceress mini was actually pretty nice.

More economical option : glue a little coin on the round base and a magnet on the square base.

What new things are they releasing? Any new, original factions?

Also, their Blood Bowl rip off any good?

/mantic/ any one here had tried that TWD game? I'm looking for something between lines of far future and high fantasy.

They said that they are going to be redoing the Basileans. They have put out a couple of big models for existing factions, and I imagine that with the art they will put out some Nightstalkers models. It is otherwise a mystery what they plan next, but there are plenty of options with the many factions they don't make models for.

Dreadball is nothing like Blood Bowl, thematically or mechanically. But it is actually pretty good. The more recent models especially are nice.

So, compared to AoS or 9th age, why play this?

It seems to be the least popular out of the three. It's more balanced, is that it?

>That moment when interested in kings of war
>Look at the model ranges
>They look like hot fucking garbage
>Don't worry you can use other models!

Mind helping me find other models for orcs and ogres that look good? GW models are out.

I'd recommend the Russian Alternative chaos dwarfs myself,great sculpts at a low price.

The people who make it are incredibly friendly. Rules are quite balanced.

Tight and fast rules. Lots of modeling freedom. I don't think that it is the least popular out of the three. It certainly has more events than 9th Age.

MoM Miniatures sell some good orcs.

More or less. I've actually had more fun playing kow than I ever did with warhammer fantasy, and I never thought I'd say that.

In my experience its 9th age that is the underdog, nobody plays that around here.

>MoM Miniatures

Fucking saved.