9th Age 9th Age (LM) Playtest feedback HERE

[Pinktaco]

Hi guys

Since I'm now officially the army Army Support of the Reptilians (Lizardmen) I've tasked with collecting playtest feedback.

You got two options:

1) Post observations here. Don't comment on other peoples posts and don't post battle reports, just post whatever you experienced or have observed under a test play of the current beta rules.

2) If you got a membership you can also post your impressions here: http://www.the-ninth-age.com/index.php?thread/526-reptilians-tac-playtesting-feedback/

(Beta) Rules for the Reptilians can be found here http://www.the-ninth-age.com/pdf/the-ninth-age_armies_0-6-3.pdf

We need all the feedback we can get. It doesn't matter what background or perspective you have. Fluff, tournament, casual, bring it all. Help me help you create the best product

 

[Pinktaco]

Have none of your tried the new rules yet?

 

[skink chief]

Next thursday! But this is without the army books of 9th only with rulebook and magicpaths of 9th...

 

[Hasael]

Next friday night for me, 2400pts.

 

[Agrem]

I'll bite.

Although I've only played with my Beast Herds so far but some general notions can already be made.

Deployment - I really like the idea of where you can deploy as many units as you want on your turn. It brings in one more tactical element to the game. However it has some flaws as against gunlines you either deploy everything first and take the turn or the gunline deploys everything first and takes the first turn.

Movement - The reduced amount of "fast cavalry" and the boosts on infantry is a nice change as you need to think more now what you do. Also the nerf (for the lack of a better word) of double flee makes you think more your options.

Magic - Toned down spells and aided dispel is great. I don't need to bring a level 4 anymore! Brings me back to the good old scroll caddy days.

Shooting - Haven't really notice anything major here. The line of sight system is great thou. Simple and effective.

Close combat - I'm not actually yet sure what I like about the fact that you can always hit the RnF models. Yes it tones down the deathstars but is it actually too much? Maybe the only the front rank attacks could only be directed to RnF instead of characters in the front rank and the supporting attacks should go to whatever is in enemy front rank... don't know yet. I still need to get used to the removal of "make way"... I do like the fact that BSB's don't autodie when broken from combat but they just lose the flag.

Fear - this is really powerful special rule now that only few units have it. Need to be more careful when against it.

Those are the initial impressions so far with just couple of games of 9th under my belt.

Then I could go for many lines more about the changes in Beastmen but this is not the place for it.

BR
Agrem

 

[Pinktaco]

Path of beast is really powerful, I mean the attribute is great in fact playing against the attribute can be scary if your opponent get many dice. You know he will get off some spells so someone or something can turn really ugly really fast XD

Stegadon can gain more attacks and more strength on the troglodon, assuming the troglodon will be updated to more attacks.

 

[Hasael]

I had a game last night against HE. The lists were created with the Beta 0.6.5 (today it's 0.7 and things are hugely different):

Slann BSB, Light, protected soul, MR2, flying carpet
Old blood on carno, Halberd, lucky shield, swiftride,
Skink priest, Heaven, Scroll
Skink priest, Heaven, Cube
Scarvet, CO, Great weapon, Duke stone, dragon helm, Ligth armor
2x10 Skirmishers, jav
2x10 Skirmishers, blowpipes
25 saurus full command standard move x3
7 CO riders full command Eternal flame
Bastiladon
Engine of the gods, horns

My opponent had:
One strenght 7 lord
Bsb World dragon
Lvl 4 High, don't remember the items
Lvl 1 fire, sroll
Lvl 1 fire, fire ring
3x5 ellyrian
2x15 archers
more or less 25 phenix guards with razor standard
A horde of swordmaster with the move x3 standard

He won the roll for the side, so I decided to deploy all my army, and go first. That is something really interesting and tactical, really enjoyed it.
Then I rushed with everything, carno, stegy, saurus using their magic standard,Co, bastiladon just behind for the boost, etc.
I was about to totally destroy my opponent, but the CO riders failed an overrun (rolled 5, need 6), so didn't arrive to help the saurus against the phenix guard (CO in the flank)

The game started being complicated after that. but I finally won, destroyed everything except the phenix guards and all the characters inside (except a lvl1). I lost all my core, except 10 skirmishers, and the engine of the gods (because of the CO fail).

The game was very interesting, here good things (about lizards) in my point of view:
-Lore of light fits very well with my list, and everything is easy to cast with the help of the engine
-The flying carpet, very nice to fly with the slann, I only hope that it's not a mistake of the developers. Before, it was specified that the slann wasn't consider being on foot, but not now. The carpet is expensive, so it is a hard choice, but I really enjoyed it.
-CO are better now, without being overpowered.
-The same for saurus
-Javelins S4 are -were- very nice
-Basti is still weak on cc, but useful for the boost

Things that I don't like and/or don't agree with:
-10 points for light armor on the CO... hard.
-Engine is still too expensive, and the ward save 6+ is not... I don't know, maybe for the same price a +1 ward save should be ok. 40 points for a bound spell (not especially good), the decrease of casting value (still not in high magic...), and only a 6+ ward... No.
-No born predator on the carno? hum... why? Isn't it THE predator? o_o
-Still not convinced with the rule for ridden monsters (only the scaly skin, no armor, no ward...). The carno only killed archers in this game, so hard to say. I'm gonna re-try it.

Opinion on the last update's changes:
-two disciplines for the slann, ok, but twice the price for the second one? Still too hard, but of course I will try. Also, don't understand the Bsb for 50pts...
-Javelins strength 3, no poison? Well, let's go blowpipes + shields... Even with quick to fire, it's useless now. Also don't understand the +1pt for shield. The price was always correct before.
-I2 for saurus and krox, nice and honest! Thanks a lot!
-Halberd for krox, cool, but for the moment I don't really see the interest (except with speed of light or hand of glory)
-A little comparison between weapon specialist (skav), and salamander: 40pts, 2W, S5, Range 8, can now move and fire; 70pts, 3W, S4, Range 6, only move and fire, no march like in 8th... Uh... why? Skav are cheaper and better. The only good point for salamander is the skirmisher rule, but it can't march and shoot, and 3W instead of 2, with the same save)...
-New price for bastiladon, ok, I'll try. For me it is not auto include anymore with the new price.
-Why no frenzy on the T-rex? Now T and T-rex has the same amount of attacks, really strange. I can understand that an older T-rex is now calm and lost is frenzy, but in this case add an attack to differentiate with the hero version, no? Still no born predator...A simple proposition: Keep the hero version the same (young, frenzy, so 5 attacks), and add born predator for the lord version (older, calm, and now more accurate, so 5 attacks too)
-Still sad about the rippers, no reroll, only 4 attacks... fly 8, no fast cav, still with T3 and W2... (same for teradons), and more expensive than before :/

I insist that this is only my feelings, and I really appreciate the work on this 9th Age! I try to be fair in my analysis, As everybody here I want a balanced game, and I want also the rules to fit with the models and fluff (as possible). I'm invested in the french ETC area, so I enjoy competition and balance

I hope this feedback will be useful, thanks again for the work,

Hasael.

 

[Pinktaco]

I've reposted your feedback to the feedback thread on the other forum. The Reptilians are currently leading the Feedback threads with the most feedback/playtests, keep up the good work guys

 

[skink chief]

My game lasted the full 2 turn :s.
So can't say too much...

Honestly just looking at the rule changes aswell as the magic phases... I just think these guys did a really great job. Only real issue I had: my opponent had 1 lvl 1... so she had 1 spell vs my lvl 2 and lvl 1 aid. Honestly dispelscroll were points thrown away. I feel as my opponent that some spells at the very least should be able to be cast multiple times. She had 1 fireball... I felt sorry for her...