new player here, looking for advice!

Hey everyone, I have been playing wargames for the better part of a decade now. I was a big fan of Warhammer Fantasy in middle school then moved into WH40k in high school. I played Lizardmen Fantasy and rocked Imperial Guard in 40k. While I do love the large scale combat of GW games, and the conversion factors, I recently got a Hordes starter box from my girlfriend (best one ever), and am seriously liking the fast paced, ability ridden gameplay style over GW's slower larger format.

Now, the two armies that come with the set look amazing with what I can assume are opposite playstyles (Circle revering life and the Legion uncaring). As a new player to Privateer Press games, can you give me any tips or advice on which armies are good for what? I've read all the descriptions for the 6 Hordes armies, and am leaning towards a Circle army.

So here are my questions: How did you pick your Hordes army? What units should you start off with after choosing an army? If I was adamant on a certain playstyle, what are the playstyles of each Hordes faction?

I just stumbled upon this post a little late, but I would recommend visiting the Privateer Press forums and going through each of the Hordes community threads. New players ask these types of questions all the time. The Circle forum is really good and chances are all the information you desire is already there.
Welcome to Warmachine/Hordes!

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Originally Posted by CommissarRotke

Hey everyone, I have been playing wargames for the better part of a decade now. I was a big fan of Warhammer Fantasy in middle school then moved into WH40k in high school. I played Lizardmen Fantasy and rocked Imperial Guard in 40k. While I do love the large scale combat of GW games, and the conversion factors, I recently got a Hordes starter box from my girlfriend (best one ever), and am seriously liking the fast paced, ability ridden gameplay style over GW's slower larger format.

Now, the two armies that come with the set look amazing with what I can assume are opposite playstyles (Circle revering life and the Legion uncaring). As a new player to Privateer Press games, can you give me any tips or advice on which armies are good for what? I've read all the descriptions for the 6 Hordes armies, and am leaning towards a Circle army.

So here are my questions: How did you pick your Hordes army? What units should you start off with after choosing an army? If I was adamant on a certain playstyle, what are the playstyles of each Hordes faction?

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Sadly I went back to 40k when I found out people in my area played large horde and warmachine armies which ironically was even slower than a 40k game. Facing is more important, have to keep track of life and damage, and each individual model does an action instead of an entire unit.

Anyway I played Retribution which did poorly against most Horde armies like Circle.

I thought 40k had some cheesy tactics. Anyway I haven't played in so long I forgot how to play.

Also that game distance is much more important and you really lack any long range compared with 40k.

I normally play Khador, but the circle of orboros set. One thing i found was the speed and distance you can get with circle. When i first used the Feral warp wolf, loved the threat range of it :D

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Originally Posted by CommissarRotke

So here are my questions: How did you pick your Hordes army?

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As someone who owns way more than I need to for this game (multiple armies for every faction short of Skorne, Minions, Retribution and Convergence), the first thing I would tell you is that all the factions are pretty good (no duds) and one of the best ways I've found to pick a new faction is just to choose the one you really like the look/fluff vibe of. If you were just interested in Circle, I would say that the battlegroup box is OK, but not essential, as you're not likely to find yourself regularly using the Argus' if you have other warbeasts to take in their stead. However, since you said you're interested in both Circle AND Legion, I would highly recommend the [url=http://privateerpress.com/hordes/gallery/starter-products/hordes-two-player-battlegroup-box]Hordes two-player starter.[/url] Both battle boxes are good to start with, the unit for each faction is great (with their respective unit attachments, mind you), you get a mini rule book which is essential if you're brand new to the game and best of all (if you compare prices to buying all that stuff seperately) it's an absurdly good value.

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Originally Posted by CommissarRotke

What units should you start off with after choosing an army?

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As a Circle player you will definitely want the following:

- at least 1 Warpwolf Stalker
- a Gorax
- a full unit of Tharn Bloodtrackers + their unit attachment Nuala the Huntress
- two units of Shifting Stones + the unit attachment
- the Warpborn Skinwalkers unit attachment the Warpborn Alpha (only if you got the two-player starter and have the unit of course)

Beyond that it's up to you. For starting Warlocks I'd highly recommend Kruger the Stormwrath, Baldur the Stonecleaver and Kromac the Ravenous. For beasts I'd recommend another plastic Warpwolf kit (to make a Pureblood or second Stalker), a Wold Guardian and Megalith. As for units, I think the Bloodtrackers (and Skinwalkers if purchased) are enough to start with, though the Swamp Gobbers Bellow Crew minion unit are almost an auto-include in any Circle list. For solos I'd recommend Gallows Groves and maybe a Blackclad Wayfarer.

As a Legion player you will definitely want the following:

- at least two plastic heavy beast kits (to make at least 1 Scythean and 1 Ravagore)
- 2 Shredder, Harrier and Stinger warbeasts (though if you get the starter it comes with 4 Shredders)
- a full Spawning Vessel unit
- 2 Shepard solos
- at least 1 Forsaken solo
- the Blighted Ogrun Warspears unit attachment the Blighted Ogrun Warspear Chieftan (only if you got the two-player starter and have the unit of course)

For starting Warlocks I'd highly recommend Thagrosh - Prophet of Everblight, Vayl - Disciple of Everblight and Saeryn - Omen of Everblight. For beasts I'd recommend an Angelius, a Naga Nightlurker, a Seraph and (if you don't have one from the starter already) a Carnivean. For units (which you will certainly want to have the Spawning Vessel accompanying) I'd recommend Legionnaires, Striders with their unit attachment and Raptors. For solos I'd recommend a Succubus, a second Forsaken and I'd HIGHLY recommend two Deathstalkers.

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Originally Posted by CommissarRotke

If I was adamant on a certain playstyle, what are the playstyles of each Hordes faction?

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It depends too much on the army composition and warlock being used to be able to easily sum them up. Some blanket statements that could be of help are:

- Legion and Skorne have the best fury management
- Trollbloods have the best infantry, with Skorne a close second
- Circle has the least shooting and Legion the most
- Legion ignores the most rules, ie, rough terrain, concealement, stealth, etc
- Trollbloods are the most buff oriented
- Without buffs, Skorne has the sturdiest beasts (with buff Trollbloods do)
- Legion has the fastest beasts, but Circle (via teleporting) the farthest reaching
- Trollbloods has the sturdiest warlocks
- Circle has the most Stealth

Check out the Battlecollege wiki, I am new to the forums so I don't know the restrictions on links and such. Anyways, it gives some basic info on factions, models, and tactics that can be used to give you a better understanding of the faction. It's helped me quite enough thus far.

Good luck and have fun!

Thank you all for the input, I greatly appreciate it!

Looking through this info I am most likely going to run with Circle but the Trollbloods look interesting as well. I just wish this winter would end so I can actually prime and paint these guys....

We have been playing WamaHordes for about 3-4 months now. Really liking it’s quick fire, big “in your face” moves. Wouldn’t say its “better” than WH, just a different way of doing things.

I play Cryx while my two friends are playing Circle and Everblight respectively. I can’t really give you a rundown of all the Hordes armies but from my perspective, im much more fearful of Circle than I am of my mates Everblight army. Circle can get a lot of table coverage, hit HARD and can buff their larger beasts to make them utter tanks. Some of their warcasters are capable of doing massive damage by themselves. Everblight doesn’t seem to do anything too special and iv nearly always been able to counteract, out move or line break them with general Cryx trickery. But it could be that may friend hasn’t fully got his head around his horde.

My mates current Circle army is essentially the box set with bits added to it. It looks something like this:

Kromac
Feral Warpwolf
Argus
Winter Argus
5 x Warpborn Skinwalkers

He tends to use the Argus as supporting and “tarpits”, holding down, blacking charges and supporting kill moves and assassinations. The skinwalkers can chew up troops and even warbeasts/jacks. The Warpbeast and Kromac are the hammer blows.

Hope that helps in a some way

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Originally Posted by Mr. Mayhem

the best ways I've found to pick a new faction is just to choose the one you really like the look/fluff vibe of

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this.
this is the best way to start the game. knowing a little about the game helps too. I started an all shooting cygnar army and got really sick of it really fast. so i started a khador army and am much happier now. so there is always a little learning curve too.
your experience may vary however. dont take mine for an end all, be all.