Warmachine and hordes: the similarities and differences

[stygmatyr]

This thread is going to be for discussing how hordes and warmachine interact with each other.

First thing: Warmachine uses focus gained at the beginning of your turns and is effectively a game of resource management. Hordes uses fury generated by your own models and is a game of risk management

More to follow

[Dark Wolf]

how are we going to do are battle then and how amny pts?

[Gareth]

Tom I'm sure Justin will teach you next Tuesday and answer any questions that come up.

[Dark Wolf]

Tom I'm sure Justin will teach you next Tuesday and answer any questions that come up.

yep i am sure he will.

[Etched Oracle]

The two systems blend perfectly. Even though Warmachine uses Focus which is Allocated at the beginning of the turn and Hordes uses Fury which is Forced via Warbeasts and then reeve'd afterwards, the core rules are the same. Defence, Armour, Melee, Ranged, Spells etc is all the same system only the details are different.

Essentially, its all the same game but with a different twist, exactly the same way models have different abilities.

[stygmatyr]

Carrying on...

Warmachine and Hordes uses the same basic system. Each model has a stat line of SPD(Movement) STR (strength) RAT (ranged attack) MAT (melee attack) DEF (defense) ARM (armor) and warrior models have CMD (command).

Warcasters have an additional stat for FOCUS, Warlocks have FURY. Warbeasts have one more stat called Threshold which is relevant to the fury rules.

All movement is based on a models SPD stat, attacks and damage worked out the same in both systems, rolling 2D6, adding your MAT or RAT and beating opponents DEF, damage being 2D6 and adding POW of weapon to beat opponents ARM.

The big differences come with the warcasters and warlocks and their battlegroups of jacks and beasts. Warcasters have a list of spells they can cast in their turn at a cost of focus. Warlocks also have a list of spells they cast at a cost of fury though they have far less than a warcaster,
instead warbeasts have built in spells called animi, which the warlock can use as if they were his own spells.

A model can gain BOOSTED rolls by spending a focus for warcasters and warjacks, warbeasts are forced instead, gaining a point of fury and a warlock spends fury. A boosted attack or damage roll has an additional dice.

The way focus/fury is handled in each system is different. In warmachine a warcaster gains focus at the start of each turn equal to their focus stat, this can then be given to his jacks to boost their capabilities, cast spells and a few other things. Because of the limited amount of focus you have to be careful how you spread it, choosing how you allocate your focus wisely
In hordes a warlock starts with fury equal to his stat but doesn't replenish it between each turn. Instead his warbeasts are forced to generate fury which the warlock can then reave to add to his total. However any fury left on warbeasts makes them prone to frenzy, so you have to be careful how much your beasts are forced, enough to give you fury but not so much to lose control of the beasts, making it a risky business.

These are the main differences between the games, but they are completely compatible and good fun to play against each other