Tuesday 10 December 2013

Escalation Does What?

So a while back a played in a 2000 point game where the other side had a titan (you can read about it here), my conclusion from that game was that standard 40k units couldn't hope to beat apocalypse class units, like super heavies. 


They really only needed the titan


Well with the new release of the 40k expansion Escalation players can now take those same super heavies into standard 40k games.

Now in my mind this is a terrible idea. I play alot of video games and a recent issue that has been gripping the industry (and community) is the notion of pay to win. Pay to win is where people pay real money for in-game advantages that people who don't pay money don't have access to, making those who pay alot harder to beat. What Escalation does is bring pay to win to the table top. Oh sure anyone can field a super heavy, as long as they have the money to have bought on first. 

What this does is give a distinct advantage to gamers who have titans and super heavies, It allows them to field them more often and win more often. I also would assume that it would cause the sales of super heavies to go up as people try and level the playing the field.

My advice is to refuse to play against a super heavy unless you have one, it is boring to watch you units get mowed down by something you cant even touch, let alone hope to damage. And don't feel the need to go out and buy a super heavy just because of Escalation, buy one when you actually want one. Until next time
Rex

18 comments:

  1. Not all super heavies are that bad, I look forward to using/playing against some of the bigger tanks but what i dont want in the game is D weapons. Without D weapons i am kinda looking forward to using some of the bigger tanks in the future. I am interested more so in the fortifications book which can make for some cool maps.

    Overall this is gonna be an ask before you play set up titan wise, but there is room for this to be not so bad. I dont know if the ork stompa is in the book but that one for example is not very shocking gamewise. The revenant titan is one of those units i wouldnt be keen on facing. Not after what happened last time it was in game.

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    1. We will have to make our next post a more happier one i think... :P GW is getting grim

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  2. This sounds like just making you buy the next big toy... not so much about gaming, more about money in the till... When I still played the game way back when, even then we called this the 'best big stick' ... whoever had the biggest nastiest thing, invariably won the game...

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  3. So why is a titan any different from a : Screamerstar /jetseer council/farsight bomb ?

    under teh new rules tau for example could:

    Take Tau as main force with 3 riptides and 3 broadsides
    take Farsight as allies with a riptide and 3 broadsides
    then take the Tau formation dataslate with a riptide and 6 broadsides

    I dont know how many points that is but its 5 tides ( 1025?) and 12 missile-sides ( these are 65 each for 780) thats 48 S7 shots from the Broadsides alone I know the REvenant has D weapons , but if it gets shot first its toast . Then again if it shoots first the tau is toast.

    :)

    Im biased cos I just ordered a Revenant that my wife bought me for Xmas

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    1. Ahh i know what you mean. The difference is the revenant is powerful from the get go. Unlike the combos you put above, the revenant is not a combination of units to make a hodgepodge of rules that make it really scary. Its scary to begin with!

      Now we arent saying nobody should use a titan, they can be so much fun to use! But what we dont like is the push to make them normal. I prefer them to be one of those special occasion units that come out when that apoc game gets organised and so on.

      Also the revenant ignores hits on a 3+ if it moved... very hard to kill. Its took my friends whole army to kill one and by that time there wasnt much left of it.

      I think what rex is trying to say is its a unit with only one real way of being delt with and thats by using another titan or super heavy.

      By all means its a fun unit to have and use, just not so much being on the other end of the stick.

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  4. I agree , BTW its also 4+ save if it doesnt move :) and it only moves 36"......

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    1. My friend who owns the titan above seems to think it can only move 12 and fire... not sure which is right though. and why wouldnt you move the titan haha?

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  5. Its agile and has jump jets

    the rules for jump jets say it can move up to 36 inches in the movement phase and move over units

    agile lets it shoot 2 weapons , or 1 and run, or none and run twice ( I think I dont have the books on hand, a pal owns Apocalypse)

    From what Ive seen though, you could put the titan on a hill and just lee harvey oswald away , the error the guys made was not concentrating on it . Inteh apoc game I played, if you ignored the SHVYs /Titans you got the D , so by turn 2 we realised it was remove them ASAP , then concentrate on the little guys.

    Im sure 40K will evolve those strategies too tbh

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    1. I reckon its better of in the corner moving 6" a turn firing 4 blasts at different units a turn. Pretty much makes 4 units dead.

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    2. The only strategy that works against super heavies is other super heavies. Normal 40k troops cant do squat to them.

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    3. Jack used warriors to kill it. It took 2 monoliths to get them there, and 40+ warriors but the titan was killed. Then the rest of his army was so brutalized by then the eldar just finished him off. Its possible but at a cost.

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    4. Even with another titan it comes down to who shoots first. Just like aircraft in 40k, its all about who shoots first.

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  6. I think with fortifications and the new options for them you have great defensive counters that can match the output of superheavies. I think stronghold assault and escalation need to be taken together, and seeing them side by side, there is counters to each that take that edge from each other and takes away the I shoot first victory. Time will tell, I think people need to look more at the fortifications if they are really worried about superheavies. That is just my thoughts time will tell though

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    1. I am looking forward to the fortifications. I want to play it like the map is its own army. I.E the map has 600 points for fortifications and the players can fight for control of buildings and so on.

      My issue is the D weapons with the new book. Heavies are fine (mostly). I expected them to modify the D strength rule a bit more to make it scaled down.

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    2. Now that is a cool idea, have the fortifications use auto fire and they target both players, goal being to take over the fortification before your opponent.

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    3. Yes and means that everyone has a chance to get them as well. Also everyone loves a great city fight. It has a lot of potential for both sides to enjoy it. The gritty melee fights on battlements would really make the game fun.

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  7. 4 x D = 4 x the nerd rage , I think I may have alienated my gaming group by ordering that Titan....... but the guy who plays 3 riptides and a Wraithknight Ally is ok? we shall see.....

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    1. Nah give that guy hell :P just go easy on the fluffy guy

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