Tabletop Tales: ‘Dystopian Wars’: ALL The Tanks!
As any long time wargamer will tell you, it all started with minimal forces and a struggling concept of the game’s rules. My British friends have been congratulating me on my newfound addiction, while also advising me that crack is cheaper. It’s generally a sign of acceptance when you are buying as much paint and models as I am!
The quarterly order I put in just before Halloween is going to finish up my demand of Grench models for the time being, as well as equip me with enough paint to begin that process. I’ll be starting with a base grey primer coat and build from that, limiting how much detailing I have to do on weapons and armor. Neighbors models will have a green coat to tell them apart on the table. Don’t expect anything master class out of me, but I have read enough on the topic to do a decent enough job.
I’m at the point where I’m planning for a table, which I’m going to paint specially to make it clear where the No-Man’s Land is; the neutral zone between the two territories. It’ll be 5’x4’; reluctantly accepting the reality of having to store it. It won’t be a dull board either, I’m going to mark it up a little for “basic” scenery such as trenches and roads. The theory being that by having them there I’d be able to field extra infantry and put them in a safe spot. Infantry aren’t really a big focus point anyway, the idea is that by making them extremely hard to hit I’m forcing the attention on other units while they move forward.
It has become clear that it takes a handful of times playing, re-reading the rules, and then playing again before you start playing what can be considered a fair, proper game. Having tasted the old land movement rules and embraced the new ones I can say they greatly streamline the ability to use land units; at the same time making land based large units a nightmare in some circumstances. I still have a difficult time lining up the forward guns of the Mauselle up, while he has easier and easier times maneuvering his landship into firing position. In general the FSA has strong broadsides, being able to maneuver their broadside tanks is an immediate buff for them. Now If I could just find a way to order the dang things.
This week’s reading of the manual has helped a great deal in fixing a lot of my mistakes and the forum communities been helping me with whatever questions I have. It does not help that the rules are written in long delicate sentences that complicate the point trying to be made, while unofficial cards with the stats and rules can easily sum up any of those rules in a blurb. Don’t try to learn this game if you flunked English 2. There are a lot of rules mentioned somewhere separately inthan where it applies; All FSA Capital’s (‘Cept robots) have snipers on them that get a special non-attack-attack against models to pick off some troops. No reminders exist on relevant units entries hence why we always forget to use it.
My opponent is still hiding behind his damn bunker complex. In general the American land units have strange firing arcs that are ambiguous at best; contrasted by fairly clear firing arcs on most other factions. The way he makes up for this is having disastrously good artillery and powerful boarding squads. He has not played them this way yet, but he is capable of mounting his own tank offensive to uproot me. Well sort of, the issue with the Americans is that their models are old designs that operate in old whacky ways. Both of their frontline tanks lack a forward turret but have things like broadside guns, or for the Trenton four diagonal facing fixed guns. Then glance over to my table, you’ll have a hard time finding a French model without some kind of front aiming gun (Unless you immediately point at the Arbalete, but that’s cheating)
I, of course have a plan for dealing with his puny army. I’m ordering my skimmers, floating naval ships capable of turning with minimal effort. They will be able to zoom deep into the enemy’s front lines like cavalry to harass him long enough to set up shots with my angrier tanks. I considered the HQ skimmer but it’s expensive to field and I’d rather use the points fielding chasseur squads (Floaty Cruiser + Floaty Frigate x2). There is a lot of joy to be had in units that can move half speed, fire, then move the rest of their speed; all while being capable of making turns naval ships typically can’t make. Despite being mounted on flying bases, they are not really fliers but instead are more or less surface units incapable of being anti-aired.
Something I am hoping to do is get more people interested in wargaming; It’s just too hard to find anything other than Warhammer players locally. Miniature Market has about 200 Dystopian Wars items on clearance still. All you really need for two players is one armies 2.0 starter box (it comes with materials the old ones don’t) and from there get a landship or two, four squads worth of mediums, and a box of smalls of another nation (I’d also argue get a pack of fighter tokens for each nation too!). Combined that with tape measure, some dice, and a table, and you have a game. That’s more or less what I did and I have been doing fine. I think it’s a good game for teenagers too, as itforces them to do a lot of quick mental math.
As to those wondering “What happened to DnD? Did he stop playing?” and the answer is hell no. In fact, I preordered the new Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide and plan on doing a write up of that combined with the Rage of Demons storyline book “Out of the Abyss” in a week or two when they arrive. I also have a ton of recorded audio of my weekly game I plan on doing a few mega-cut’s for. I promise to get that out before the next rapture happens.
