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[It's Reyn Time!]

Having a tough time deciding what direction to take my Ork army in. I said when I started a second army that Space Wolves will be my go to army for trying to actually win battles, but my Orks will be for fun, even if that means building the least competitive list possible and losing spectacularly, as long as it's fun to play.

Well my army's at the point now where I really have to decide on what to do with them. I'm so very tempted to build a Green Tide detachment but with max squads of boyz instead of the usual ten. Screaming across the battlefield with 300 boys on the table would be hilarious and make anyone across the table hate me before we're even deployed.

My other, more realistic (and less time consuming) plan is a very walker heavy force, lots of Deff Dreads, Kans, Gork/Morkanauts and maybe even a Stompa.

Or there's the all Grot army. Kans, Grot tanks, lots of squads of grots, artillery... could be really fun too.

 

[Karakand]

u need moar dakka

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

Well, yeah, you can never get enough dakka.

 

[Karakand]

In the Damocles omnibus there's a story told from the perspective of a gue'vesa auxiliary NCO.

It's pretty interesting, though the Raven Guard being involved in the third sphere of expansion means there's an obnoxious POV change to see the story from the perspective of the Raven Guard. Haven't we had enough of this shit however many years we are into that being a stock sideplot in Horus Heresy books?

Not sure how well it would read, it's told like an interview so listening to it (like I did) is very natural.

There's also a story told from the perspective of an elite Water Caste troll who doesn't believe in the greater good but does his job because he enjoys being an asshole. It gets a little too ridiculous at parts, but if you think the Tau are too noblebright it definitely knocks a lot of the luster off of them.

 

[Deified Data]

Hmm.

HMMMMMMMMMMMM.

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

I am absolutely useless at any kind of real time strategy but I really want to love the DoW games. How have they held up?

 

[Azih]

I am absolutely useless at any kind of real time strategy but I really want to love the DoW games. How have they held up?

DOW2 games are very light on the strategy part of RTSing. You can drop the difficulty down to low and get through the SP campaign pretty easily I would think. Borrow a lot from Diablo type RPGs

DOW1 games had more traditional base building and the like.

 

[SillyEskimo]

I am absolutely useless at any kind of real time strategy but I really want to love the DoW games. How have they held up?

Both have held up really well. Hell, given the lack of any major RTS games in the past few years, DoW2 is probably one of the best out there.

It sounds like you should start with DoW2 first. Characters play a primary role in that game with squds acting in support of them. There is also little to no base building in single player. As you complete missions you level up your hero units and earn loot to equip them that in many cases also effects the squads that support them.

It still holds up in the graphics department as well. Each faction is given a great on screen representation.

There are good mods out for both as well if that's your thing.

 

[Deified Data]

I am absolutely useless at any kind of real time strategy but I really want to love the DoW games. How have they held up?

DoW1 (and more specifically, it's Dark Crusade expansion) is still my favorite RTS of all time. So the answer is very, very well. So much love went into that game.

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

Cool, thanks for the replies, I'll jump in and grab both next payday.

 

[Karakand]

2 and its expansions have some awesome moments. The final mission of vanilla 2 might be the perfect 40K-as-a-vidya experience.

Listening to the new Horus Heresy book. Feels like it's been FOREVER since Unremembered Empire so coming back to Imperium Secundus was discombobulating. Numeon shouting, "Vulkan lives!" is getting pretty old too and I'm only at part 2. :jnc

 

[Head of Vengarl]

I have no experience with Warhammer 40k, other than reading through some of the Wiki articles. It has some of the most interesting lore I've ever read.

My favorite xeno species is the Tyranids. I just made a post about them in the OT. That's what reminded me about Warhammer and brought me to this thread with a question: Can I play as the Tyranids in any of the Warhammer 40k video games? I'm not really interested in multiplayer — I just want to experience playing as an unstoppable, ever-growing, ever-evolving species of monsters that are hell bent on destroying everything in their path. The Tyranids are the epitome of this. If any of the Warhammer games allow me to do this, please let me know. If not, are there any video games out there that contain species similar to the Tyranids, that will let me play as them?

 

[Tacitus_]

You can play the DoW 2 : Retribution as the 'nids and nom the Aurelia subsector. It's standalone so you don't even need the base game for it.

 

[TheSadRanger]

Oh hey there's a new HH book out.. Oh wait, it's a salamander book written by Nick Kyme.

I don't think I could stomach 450 pages of a bunch of dudes being all mopey and burning themselves.

 

[Karakand]

Oh hey there's a new HH book out.. Oh wait, it's a salamander book written by Nick Kyme.

I don't think I could stomach 450 pages of a bunch of dudes being all mopey and burning themselves.

It also has Lion El'Jonson being an asshole and Aeonid Thiel being husbando material.

Spoiler

I probably would have stopped listening to this if it wasn't a main entry in the series. The books are too interrelated now to skip one imo. VULKAN LIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES.

 

[Head of Vengarl]

You can play the DoW 2 : Retribution as the 'nids and nom the Aurelia subsector. It's standalone so you don't even need the base game for it.

Do I get to play as the Tyranids for the whole campaign, or just a few missions?

Also, game came out in 2011 and is still $30 on Steam? PC gaming has spoiled me because that seems too expensive. I'm sure it will get slashed in the next Steam sale though.

 

[Karakand]

It's a whole campaign. Each playable faction gets a campaign in Retribution.

You can play as the 'nids in Space Hulk multiplayer but it's only Genestealers and it's not a good game. (The sequel is a hoot though.)

 

[EYEL1NER]

Oh hey there's a new HH book out.. Oh wait, it's a salamander book written by Nick Kyme.

I don't think I could stomach 450 pages of a bunch of dudes being all mopey and burning themselves.

It at least has a pretty kickass cover though. I went to my first GW store over the weekend and saw it on the shelf. Picked it up and was interested but I have yet to read a single HH novel yet so I put it down (full GW price was also a factor in that decision too).
I know people say you don't need to read all HH novels and in release order, to just pick and choose books that deal with factions you like, but I feel like I should read at least some of the early books first.
But anyway, the art depicted on the cover was nice.

 

[SillyEskimo]

I prefer to listen to the HH series in audiobook format. It's better than trying to pronounce all the made up character names and locations. Plus, I can listen while I work.

Great quality in voice acting and ambiance too.

 

[Head of Vengarl]

It's a whole campaign. Each playable faction gets a campaign in Retribution.

You can play as the 'nids in Space Hulk multiplayer but it's only Genestealers and it's not a good game. (The sequel is a hoot though.)

Excellent, thank you. Put it on my wishlist and now I'm eagerly awaiting the next Steam sale.

 

[Karakand]

It at least has a pretty kickass cover though. I went to my first GW store over the weekend and saw it on the shelf. Picked it up and was interested but I have yet to read a single HH novel yet so I put it down (full GW price was also a factor in that decision too).
I know people say you don't need to read all HH novels and in release order, to just pick and choose books that deal with factions you like, but I feel like I should read at least some of the early books first.
But anyway, the art depicted on the cover was nice.

This one definitely can't be consumed on its own. I have a fucking doctorate in 40K mythos at this point and I'm a bit lost sometimes.

The early books are pretty bad imo, Descent of Angels is the only must read in the first 10 books if you have basic familiarity with the legends and you have to read Eisenstein and Legion because so much crap builds off them.

If you like the Emperor's Children or Thousand Sons, Fulgrim and A Thousand Sons respectively aren't too shabby but aside from the Dark Angels books it's a real slog until you get to The First Heretic.

 

[TheSadRanger]

The short story anthology books are also pretty hit or miss. If I was to recommend one though I would say get Age of Darkness. There's a short story in there that's pretty long written by Rob Sanders thats absolutely amazing.

It's about an old Iron Warriors commander that was left with a small contingent to guard a mining rock that's still loyal to the emperor. When his legion turns traitor they go to pick him up and he's basically says "no, you guys are assholes and Perturabo is mentally ill"

Only mainline novel that I really did not care for was Deliverance Lost. Gav Thorpe.........ugh

 

[Tacitus_]

It at least has a pretty kickass cover though. I went to my first GW store over the weekend and saw it on the shelf. Picked it up and was interested but I have yet to read a single HH novel yet so I put it down (full GW price was also a factor in that decision too).
I know people say you don't need to read all HH novels and in release order, to just pick and choose books that deal with factions you like, but I feel like I should read at least some of the early books first.
But anyway, the art depicted on the cover was nice.

Reading the info blurb, it seems like a direct sequel to Vulkan Lives and also includes the Imperium Secundus plot thread.

This one definitely can't be consumed on its own. I have a fucking doctorate in 40K mythos at this point and I'm a bit lost sometimes.

The early books are pretty bad imo, Descent of Angels is the only must read in the first 10 books if you have basic familiarity with the legends and you have to read Eisenstein and Legion because so much crap builds off them.

If you like the Emperor's Children or Thousand Sons, Fulgrim and A Thousand Sons respectively aren't too shabby but aside from the Dark Angels books it's a real slog until you get to The First Heretic.

I dunno, I'd recommend reading the first three because Loken is a pretty cool guy. Fulgrim ,Legion and Mechanicum are also worth reading since they're by Graham McNeill and Dan Abnett.

 

[Karakand]

When Loken ethers Horus in Vengeful Spirit.

 

[Tacitus_]

Do I get to play as the Tyranids for the whole campaign, or just a few missions?

Also, game came out in 2011 and is still $30 on Steam? PC gaming has spoiled me because that seems too expensive. I'm sure it will get slashed in the next Steam sale though.

75% off now!

 

[Head of Vengarl]

75% off now!

Wow, what a coincidence! Creepy Valve has been spying on my GAF posts.

Aaaaaaaaaand bought. I also bought the Tyranid wargear and Hive Tyrant wargear DLCs, because I'm going full retard Tyranid.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Karakand]

The 'nid general is really fun in the PVE MOBA multiplayer mode, you won't be disappointed. (Unless no one is playing that anymore lol.)

 

[Deified Data]

75% off now!

Finally pulled the trigger after years of stubbornly sticking to DoW1. We'll see what I've been missing.

 

[Azih]

Finally pulled the trigger after years of stubbornly sticking to DoW1. We'll see what I've been missing.

I'm playing through Retribution now (got it through the Humble Bundle a few weeks ago) and, man, it's fun, but it's barely a RTS. Think of it as a fun real time tactical action game with some strategy elements and I think you'll have fun.

The campaign is apparently a copy-pasta between the six factions with just a few differences in the voiceovers which is disappointing. I'm playing through the 'nids right now as they are bound to have the dullest voice acting.

Still fun. I think Chaos Rising is my personal favourite of the DoW II games.

"Eaaaaaat... Feeeeeed... CONSSSUUUUUMMMMMMME"

 

[Head of Vengarl]

So Retribution is my first RTS and I must say, I'm really enjoying it! As Azih said I can tell it's not a "full" RTS since there's no base building, but I think that's why it makes a good beginner game. Still, the tutorial could have been better. I had to figure out for myself how to set the groups (i.e., Ctrl clicking to make all my melee squads select with "2" and my ranged squads select with "3"). And is there no button to select all units? I feel like that would be really useful...

I played the first level last night as the Tyranids. It definitely scratched the itch I was looking for. I love how the Hive Tyrant can spawn little 'Nid minions to zerg-rush the enemy with. That feeling of overwhelming the enemy with superior numbers of mindless killers. Well, they have a hivemind. But you get what I mean.

"Eaaaaaat... Feeeeeed... CONSSSUUUUUMMMMMMME"

Haha yep that's about 99% of the Tyranid dialogue so far.

 

[Deified Data]

I'm playing through Retribution now (got it through the Humble Bundle a few weeks ago) and, man, it's fun, but it's barely a RTS. Think of it as a fun real time tactical action game with some strategy elements and I think you'll have fun.

The campaign is apparently a copy-pasta between the six factions with just a few differences in the voiceovers which is disappointing. I'm playing through the 'nids right now as they are bound to have the dullest voice acting.

Still fun. I think Chaos Rising is my personal favourite of the DoW II games.

"Eaaaaaat... Feeeeeed... CONSSSUUUUUMMMMMMME"

To be fair, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm weren't much different in that regard. Objectives could be completed in a different order depending on your chosen faction and dialog was different for stronghold assaults, but for the most part it was still the same combat on the same maps for every race. I don't have any greater expectation than that.

 

[TheSadRanger]

There's actually a pretty cool looking space RTS 40k game coming out as well called Battlefleet Gothic. It really hasn't gotten much press and I discovered it through Angry Joe of all people doing an interview with the developers.

Angry Joe E3 interview which has gameplay footagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DspNXEY1esc

Here's the teaser trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dot-EdnkIkM

It's hardly received any attention at all from the major sites so it's difficult to find media on it.

 

[Azih]

To be fair, Dark Crusade and Soulstorm weren't much different in that regard. Objectives could be completed in a different order depending on your chosen faction and dialog was different for stronghold assaults, but for the most part it was still the same combat on the same maps for every race. I don't have any greater expectation than that.

But Dark Crusade and Soulstorm at least had the fun bit where the barks between the enemy leaders were different when you attacked a faction stronghold with your faction. So the dialogue was pretty different when Orks were taking down the Eldar compared to when the Tau were doing it for example. Retribution has less than that. It does seem to have different faction specific narration from GABRIEL ANGELOS at points though, which is fun.

 

[Tacitus_]

There's actually a pretty cool looking space RTS 40k game coming out as well called Battlefleet Gothic. It really hasn't gotten much press and I discovered it through Angry Joe of all people doing an interview with the developers.

Angry Joe E3 interview which has gameplay footagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DspNXEY1esc

Here's the teaser trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dot-EdnkIkM

It's hardly received any attention at all from the major sites so it's difficult to find media on it.

There was a thread in gaming when they first announced it. I am frothing with anticipation for it.

But Dark Crusade and Soulstorm at least had the fun bit where the barks between the enemy leaders were different when you attacked a faction stronghold with your faction. So the dialogue was pretty different when Orks were taking down the Eldar compared to when the Tau were doing it for example. Retribution has less than that. It does seem to have different faction specific narration from GABRIEL ANGELOS at points though, which is fun.

I dunno, the dialogue is reasonably different for each faction. Take for example the eldar ambush mission, Mista Nailbrain sets his gitfinda to panzee while Eliphas says he'll sacrifice their souls for Slaanesh.

 

[AlStrong]

Is Legacies of Betrayal worth picking up? Had a quick peak at synopses on the lexicon, but eh...

 

[TheSadRanger]

There was a thread in gaming when they first announced it. I am frothing with anticipation for it.



I dunno, the dialogue is reasonably different for each faction. Take for example the eldar ambush mission, Mista Nailbrain sets his gitfinda to panzee while Eliphas says he'll sacrifice their souls for Slaanesh.

I'm looking forward to it as well, from what I've seen though I hope the ships aren't fixed on a 2d plane parallel to each other like an ocean battle. Would be nice if the ships were allowed full, 3 dimensional movement.

 

[Karakand]

OMG a Battlefleet Gothic game. Brehs we're so close to a Gorka Morka game I can taste it.

 

[Karakand]

Is Legacies of Betrayal worth picking up? Had a quick peak at synopses on the lexicon, but eh...

Censure and Butcher's Nails are good. Thief of Revelation gives some context but it's a bit dull at times. Rest of this isn't really worth the time.

A lot of these are available individually through Black Library Audio if one really caught your fancy.

 

[AlStrong]

Censure and Butcher's Nails are good. Thief of Revelation gives some context but it's a bit dull at times. Rest of this isn't really worth the time.

A lot of these are available individually through Black Library Audio if one really caught your fancy.

mm... Will have to look into those. Butcher's Nails caught my eye, actually. Kharn & Cypher weren't good?

Thanks.

 

[Deified Data]

But Dark Crusade and Soulstorm at least had the fun bit where the barks between the enemy leaders were different when you attacked a faction stronghold with your faction. So the dialogue was pretty different when Orks were taking down the Eldar compared to when the Tau were doing it for example. Retribution has less than that. It does seem to have different faction specific narration from GABRIEL ANGELOS at points though, which is fun.

True - nothing compares to Dark Crusade, at least not to me.

 

[colt92]

There's an ongoing thread on /tg/ of what looks like a pretty good DeathWatch campaign, if you like to read that stuff. Not one of those filled with funny/random moments, for a change.

 

[Karakand]

mm... Will have to look into those. Butcher's Nails caught my eye, actually. Kharn & Cypher weren't good?

Thanks.

They're just really short, probably no more than 10 pages based on the length of the audio, so not really worth it imo.

Stuff like that is more meant for really niche characters who couldn't carry something more substantial, for example the short story about the Night Lord librarian who attended the Council of Nikaea.

If you like Kharn the audio drama "Chosen of Khorne" is where it's at. "Malediction" is a solid Cypher story but I don't think the audio is for sale anymore.

 

[tomasdk]

This was unexpected. Coincindence or is something brewing behind the scenes?
http://www.gog.com/game/final_liberation_warhammer_epic_40000
http://www.gog.com/game/warhammer_40000_chaos_gate
http://www.gog.com/game/warhammer_shadow_of_the_horned_rat

 

[Karakand]

omg Chaos Gate

 

[AlStrong]

They're just really short, probably no more than 10 pages based on the length of the audio, so not really worth it imo.

Ah.... yikes.

I didn't mind After Desh'ea though. hm...

Stuff like that is more meant for really niche characters who couldn't carry something more substantial, for example the short story about the Night Lord librarian who attended the Council of Nikaea.

If you like Kharn the audio drama "Chosen of Khorne" is where it's at. "Malediction" is a solid Cypher story but I don't think the audio is for sale anymore.

Not just Kharn, but I do like following up on important or recurring characters. Pivotal moments with new characters are a bonus I suppose.

I don't recall the NL @ Nikea. :O

 

[Karakand]

He was just an advocate. If you look at the full list of attendees on Lexicanum there are a lot of no-name characters.

Update on the latest Horus Heresy book--it's literally Flight of the Eisenstein. I just about laughed my gorget off when I realized this.

 

[Deified Data]

Anyone ever give the Dark Heresy tabletop a try?

 

[Head of Vengarl]

Just beat the Tyranid campaign in Retribution.

Overall it was a pretty fun game. I wanted a game where I could play as the 'Nids and experience a feeling of overwhelming "zerg" offense, and that's exactly what I got.

The game was very easy. I've never played a RTS before so I was quite clumsy with the controls, and even so, on normal difficulty I never even got close to failing a mission. Also, I wish the campaign was longer. I was surprised when I reached the final mission so soon.

Bottom line: Will this game go down as one of my all-time favorites? No. Would I recommend buying it at full price? No. But for the $8 I paid, it supplied some good fun. Overall I would give this game 1 thumb up and recommend people buy it on sale.

 

[Tacitus_]

Normal is the faceroll difficulty tho. Then again, the higher difficulties just make the game more annoying as you abuse broken units to survive the enemies extra health and damage.

 

[Head of Vengarl]

Normal is the faceroll difficulty tho. Then again, the higher difficulties just make the game more annoying as you abuse broken units to survive the enemies extra health and damage.

That seems kinda silly. I mean, why have an Easy difficulty setting if Normal is also faceroll difficulty? Just seems like poor game design to me.

Again, I don't want to bash the game too much because I did enjoy it. There were just some questionable design decisions to me. Like not including any controls/keybindings info. The tutorial doesn't even cover all of the controls; I had to look them up online.