Well, as for learning the game, I think there is a definite progression. If you just decide Darius or Kraye look cool and then decide to start leaning the game with them, you will take a lot of a$$-beatings until you even begin to figure out those casters` basic strategies. I`ve been using Cygnar for over a year (and I play twice a month) and even I don`t have confidence with those two yet.
My advice (in the Starting with Cygnar thread) is not along the lines of "these models are mighty, so take them"...the advice is more like "these models will help you learn the game quickly and you will continue to use these models as your collection expands". I`m like MIJ in that if something looks cool, I buy it, paint it and TRY to make it work with the other models I have. Sometimes I`m successful, sometimes I`m not. Few things in this game are completely self-sufficient and even fewer work better without some synergy from other models. However, if you just randomly choose models to START your army with, you may not create a battle force with immediately recognizable combos and synergies...and this could really impede your learning curve of the game. Starting with a little group of models with definite and easily recognizeable synergies will help you learn the game - and learn Cygnar much faster.
One of my regular Menoth players regularly complains that Cygnar never misses. At first, I didn`t know what she meant. But when I thought about it, I realized that from her perspective (where Menoth models have low RAT and few ways to add bonuses/boosts and thus miss a lot with their ranged attacks) it`s unusual and "mysterious" how few times my models miss when I shoot something. But from my perspective, before I even pick up the dice to shoot, I`ve already moved a Ranger to within 5" of my target(s), compared my caster`s control area to the estimated distance between my target and the shooter - and decided not to move for an aiming bonus, and/or I`ve probably added the spell Deadeye. Thus, what probably looked like 6 or 7+ (on 2d6) to hit to a new player or a non-Cygnar player is now suddenly 3+...on 3d6
. My subsequent damage roll may not be so successful, but it sure is nice knowing I will hit when I want to shoot something. These strategies/synergies (whatever you want to call them) might take longer to learn with a random collection of models.
Never the less, no matter what you end up getting, you will find some nice combos with your other models and discovering those is a whole other level of fun (that isn`t present in many other wargames). A new wargamer in our group has also decided on Cygnar and he already bought some models (before he started coming to our wargaming circle). Sunday, I tried a 15 point demo game vs. Cryx where he used my models and we ran through the rules step by step as we played. We used my models (cause I have probably a little more than half of the entire Cygnar range and he is still assembling and painting his stuff), but I made the list to mirror the models he already bought...so when he`ll have a leg up when he starts to play. So he played with pStryker, a Centurion, a Hunter and 6 Long Gunners. I added the Long Gunners since he hasn`t picked up any infantry yet, but otherwise it mirrored his more or less randomly chosen army. This is a list I would never think of, so I wan`t sure how it would go. But soon, he (and I) discovered that the spell Arcane Shield cast on the Centurion and during pStryker`s feat put that warjack`s armor at 29. It was just silly high/hard armor. The Centurion got charged by three Bane Thralls - which usually spells the end of a warjack - but the Centurion only got scratched for a grand total of four damage. And then proceeded to apply piston spear to Thrall face! Again, not a combo I knew about or would have thought about, but it happened even with randomly selected models (and me catching it).
Whatever you decide to go with, you can make it work...but you can make it work even faster with a quick read through some advice threads (not just mine).
Danguinius
Danguinius
We are the Blood Angels, and we fear not. We are proud sons of the Imperium and the protectors of mankind. We are the Angels of Death and the Emperor`s Wrath – D(S)anguinius
