Ha, as much as all the options beyond Gryph Hounds seemignly have a negative shroud over them (well, apart from the "posted response ") I actually do like mixing my models up. It's added an extra level of dynamism that my opponents and I enjoy. On top of that, if your mixed-army represents an alliance etc. then i don't feel being un-themed is an negative thing - it highlights their fluff background if anything. Plus being able to weave my minis together on the tabletop makes manifest the connections between my armies in my background. Whilst i agree with the swollen look of the models a) I like the general aesthetic they chose for the Sigmarines if not the overall execution, and b) the new look for the Aelfs and the Tzeentchian units in Silver Tower are very pretty. They have the potential to join the Varangaurd to be favourite recent models. Archaon misses out because Dorghar is just a little too fat.
I like a lot of things about AOS. The freedom to use all of the models I have. The fact that my saurus are now a viable option for success. The insane synergies and options for units to work together. The fact that I can make an awesome alliance of whatever I want. The challenge of coming up with a balance between the armies, and finding ways to overcome the odds. I like that I can bring a new player in, lend them an army and just play, and can get a challenge out of them trying something I hadn't previously thought of. Don't have to give them a week's worth of homework before they start! And after my friends and I were done with 8th, bored by it or whatever, AOS got my army off the shelf and got me to sign up on Lustria online!
Whilst I agree with you for the most part Bowser, this I can't: My inner capitalist disagrees with the consumer paying for a product and then undergoing extra legwork to make it viable. Fair enough if you enjoy the challenge, but the lack of "fairness" through balance in game rules undermines the idea of a game in my mind. Hopefully the General's Handbook will answer this chagrin, as it's currently my biggest one with AoS.
We haven't had too many problems with balance, first few games was the biggest challenge, and did they underestimate the power of my dead mummified frog. I am definitely looking forward to the generals handbook. I think even just for the narrative play, let alone the match play and New scenarios. Very excited to get my hands on that!
It is easy to pick up but we have recently started KOW which is easier to pick up. I never gamed so AOS was a good starting point for me.
temple guard are now one of the best infantry choices in the game, I can't tell you how long I have waited for that to happen
It is fast: Games require much less time than 8th. I can do an army list in a couple of minutes. Obviously, there's more than this, but this is really a bonus point.
I remember that thread, can I just move a bunch of spear Saurus and Temple Guard together if I have them all piled on a unit tray? "...was a good idea..." Did somebody overrule it and disallow it?
I guess I am now up to two things I like about AoS: Gryph Hounds and the notion of building armies that match no GW faction, but rather a fantasy novel no one working for GW wrote. FREX... 6 Giants 12 Centaurs 12 Great Cats (not sure what citadel model to use for that) 20 Wolves or Hounds 5 Gryph Hounds 10 Human horse archers (dark aelfs have horse aarchers) 2 Great Eagles or Hawks 15 Human Knights ...which is about 82 models, but the giants should count as 30 additional models, so 112 ~~ need to add another 50-80 to get the size right. Anybody want to venture a guess as to what army from what book this is?
Another army that is really tempting is all the grey plastic models I will get around to painting the by the 14th of Nevermore. Dump them in a box like they are army men, no paint jobs to worry about, and just slap them out on a table....
Err...Watership Down? Ogre Kingdoms have Sabretusks for the Great Cats. Wood Elves also have some nice mounted archers too. My current army is "Pandaemonium" i.e. Daemons only....including the Seraphon What, did someone shout heresy?! Lies. Lies. HE'S JUST BIG-BONED OK?! Which is also my big critique of the Nagash model - if his chest and ribs weren't sooo swole I would've liked it so much more. Will still probably get him eventually though, despite the odd proportions, as it is a stellar model regardless.