Warmachine - The Final Door is Slams Shut.

It's been about a year since my last game of Warmachine, so MacSver and I dusted off the models for a game. The forces were Khador (MacSver) against Cygnar (myself).  We lined up:.

Khador:

• Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
• Juggernaut - Heavy Warjack
• Destroyer - Heavy Warjack
• Assault Kommandos
• Widowmakers
• Man-O-War Shocktroopers

Cygnar: 

• Commander Adept Nemo
• Ironclad Heavy Warjack
• Lancer Light 'jack
• Firefly Light 'jack
• Journeyman Warcaster
• Charger Light 'jack (bound to Jr)
• Black 13th Gun Mages
• 2 x Stormcallers

It was to be a straight battle across the Crystal Fields.

Khador activated first and advanced under the protection of a battle group wide defence boosting spell.

Cygnar then activated and cautiously advanced, looking to attack on the flanks in the next couple of rounds.

In turn two Khador continued to the centre of the table. The Widowmakers combined fire and used their long range to kill a central Stormcaller. The Destroyer's bombard hit and did boosted damage to the Cygnar Lancer, immediately knocking out it's arc node. Sorcha then cast her defence boosting spell again to protect  her force. In reply, with their crucial arc node out of action, Cygnar could only kill a single Kommando, the Khador spell making their defence too great to get through.

 Turn three started and Sorcha cast a spell on the Juggernaut to give it a charge range boost. It charged forward and Slam attacked the Cygnar Ironclad, knocking it back full distance into the Cygnar Warcaster, knocking down and damaging them both.

The Widowmakers then advanced into range and combined fire again to shoot and kill the vulnerable Warcaster. Game Over.

On a separate note I think this game has finally convinced me that Warmachine isn't for me  (hence the Final Door in the title). I've been holding on to it for a while (whilst not playing) as I like the robots, but the style of game play, over specialization of model abilities and the general player experience doesn't so much leave me flat, more unfulfilled.

I game to have fun. I like my opponent to have fun. Win or Lose. The games I've played this year (SoBH, X-Wing, Dead Man's Hand, IHMN) have been enjoyed by those playing the losers still have a smile on their face. I rarely see a smiley Warmachine loser (albeit I don't play often). Usually disappointed, frustrated, resigned or even crushed. Real life tries to (and sometimes succeeds) in handing those emotions out. I don't want myself or my buddies ending the night of precious down time beating ourselves up over what we did or didn't do in a game. A genuine smile, shake of the hand and the feeling of "Cool game" is what I want.

Warmachine is too seriously full on and committed for me, but "good luck and enjoy" to those that like it.