8th Ed. Terrain Importance

[eppe]

How important do you consider terrain placement?

I recently played a game last week against a OK friend and the terrain got set up with a decent amount of impassable terrain causing "lanes" that only one unit at a time could fit down. I won, partially, because I funneled him down these lanes?

I had never really considered terrain to be this crucial, and I still think the board was fair for both armies, but how important do you consider it?

 

[Arli]

I have two thoughts on this. First, I love terrain features. I like the randomness and the effects for the terrain. I think it makes 8th edition much better.

Second, the placement of the terrain is very important and can change the outcome of the game. In your game, that kind of placement can and did win the game for you. I have had a river run through the middle of the board and whomever gets stuck in the river is in a world of trouble.

As far as placement goes, whenever there are enough players around our club, I will ask an impartial person to place terrain for our game. If not, we roll off for it. In quick set ups, I may even set the terrain and then let my opponent chose his side.

 

[strewart]

Yeah terrain can be pretty important. Something to always at least keep in mind when you are placing your army and thinking about your strategy.

 

[Lord Cedric]

My club and I really don't like the 8th ed. terrain set up randomness. It's way too easy to have multiple "magical or special" terrain. We much prefer non-magical and aesthetically pleasing. With that in mind, usually we will have one person set up the terrain and if it's layout is agreed upon then we do a roll of to determine sides. But really what matters is that both players agree on the fairness of the layout. For me personally, the last thing I want to hear after a victory is my opponent saying "yeah, but if that terrain piece wasn't there....".

- Lord Cedric

 

[eppe]

When I'm with my friends, and we have a 3rd, we've started having 1 person set up the board who is not playing. We've been ignoring magical terrain too. However when their are only two of us we roll a D6+4 for terrain and just take turns placing.