Kremmet

Don't forget they still get the Ogre ability to parry while mounted.

I think most people are put off of them because, for 45 points, you get +1 WS (rider), Str (rider), T, W, A (rider), Ld, Impact Hits, and AS not to mention a Best-Of list of USR's. That's a little much to swallow when such a clear alternative is offered with the Mournfang. That said, anything putting people off from using Jervis pompous-as-hell Johnson's units is alright in my book.

Kromac is a fair bit more forgiving than Cassius so I'd start there, but really the learning curve for WM is so steep that I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Quarrellers are not armor piercing on anything but melee attacks with a Rune Priest.  The BRB specifically states that units with the special rule Armour Piercing only get it on their melee attacks.  You basically need it stated on the weapon like Handguns to gain it while shooting.

I too am disappointed, but the book still has its strengths even if it is dull.

@dkieft: Slayers attacking as they die is a cool rule, but the loss of armor modification with Slayer Axes more than makes up for it. They're still a better unit than people let on, but no anvil for charges plus having to use GW to fight tougher enemies is a pretty big negative given their cost increase.

I'm not going to chime in on whether or not you should "ramp up" to fight competitiveness, but that Dark Elf list leaves much to be desired in my eyes.  I'm sure you see how his list is pulled hard into being about movement and shooting with basically no thoughts on preservation or protracted combat which can cause a problem if you've become used to a certain style of play.  I don't know enough about your meta to say for certain, but it sounds more like a broken malaise that has caused you to reconsider your lists.  With that in mind I think what you're really discussing is whether changing your list to fight something that skews your local meta is a good idea or not.  It definitely sucks in WHFB because of the model investment, but a major part of the game is encountering new win strategies and seeing how your list matches up.  

The question I'd be asking is if my list is really the problem or if I've just lost touch with the game mechanics/had a string of bad luck.

Yeah, I definitely meant that I was surprised at the bundle price.  I just can't fathom the person that goes, "I really want six of these, but changing that one to a six before checkout is so hard.  There has to be a better way!"

Books, Gyro's and two more characters are up on pre-order!

 

Buy a squad of 3 Gyro's for merely $135!

 

and don't forget to get your "one click collection" that claims to have 2 Bombers and 4 Gyros (yet shows a pic of 6 bombers (which is unique according to the WD article)) for only $270!

Prices are nuts, but Unique only refers to its unit type.  It doesn't mean you can only run one of them.

I think the Steam Tank is great and fits the Empire aesthetic - it looks natural alongside great cannons, hellblasters, etc.  These new bombers just look like Advance Wars with some dwarf runes slapped on.  Or like the Warmachine Basher, as someone else said.  To me they look out-of-place.

I get that they look out of place to you, but I don't think you've really paid attention to the dwarven line as a whole.  Painted in metallics it fits along just fine with the current dwarven cannon and Organ Gun.

Also, yes, a lot of Advance Wars can be useful for Warhammer hyperbole.

9th Ed Batrep:

Khorne vs Empire

I'm sorry, but those Gyrocopters...  :(

 

Next thing you know they'll be trying to pass of Soul Grinders as Fantasy

But the steam tank is fine?  The Soul Grinder doesn't fit because the tech looks beyond what we do now (and it looks dumb to begin with).  The gyrocopter just looks like the difference between China and the West in the 1000's.

I pretty much skipped all the above posts.  However, here is what I can tell you, based around your original post:

Par for course, then?

Orcs are an army that plays in all phases (as in they have strong magic, combat, and artillery shooting), but you won't always be the one playing them in those phases.  Animosity is a detrimental artifact rule that really keeps them down along with strange point disparities across the board.  They are never a low model count army as even "elite" OnG armies are likely pushing around three hordes and still backed up by additional units.  I wouldn't recommend them not because of power level or ease of play (both aren't that high), but instead because they are an army that makes you ask "why would you design this rule?"

1)  You cannot take any magic items if you're carrying a magical banner.

2)  He means swapping it for a Great Weapon which would have the negative effect of lowering your armor save along with killing your likely rerolls from ASF.  I wouldn't recommend it for an elf lord although looking for different ways to up your strength might be worth it.

3)  Ehh.

4)  Definitely get eagles.

Agreed. He's not really stealing an idea as much as he's selling a gap in a very popular mythos given the niche of his product. It is incredibly hard to sell "just cool sculpts" considering the interest level and budget concerns of gamers.

Saying that it's blatant IP theft is a little harsh, though, considering how bland GW demons are comparatively. I mean, a sex demon with some extra wicked claws for stabbing? A pustulent fattie representing plague? Definitely never seen those anywhere before GW....

Yeah, making it a bound spell will be a pretty big nerf as you'll have (probably) nothing else for your opponent to throw dice at during magic.  Honestly they can help alleviate the problem by giving it multiple uses per magic phase, but we'll see exactly what goes on.

Just like Pax.

The key here is to stop being so absolutist about everything.  Saying that witches or corsairs are garbage is about as wrong headed as saying red or blue suck.  Witches are a far more offensive unit and care very little about what they're fighting because they're not paying for armor either way while corsairs allow DE to play a more defensive game (saying DE can't produce an excellent defensive game is a bit...daft).

There is no winning argument when things are this subjective.  Pick the unit that best fits your play style and stop pretending like other just as successful stratagems are somehow lesser to your own especially with something as grey area as witches VS corsairs.

If that doesn't pan out, I'm looking this year as well.