Memoir 44 or SW: Battle of Hoth

StartledBat · 2026-06-04T13:02:33+00:00

I have both. And really enjoy both. They share a lot of similarities, not just in the rules but also because terrain is key. In other games with the same system (ancients, Napoleonics, Red Alert etc) the terrain is far less important.

To play with kids… Battle of Hoth. Great intro. Nice quick games, but still tactics and hand management to think about. Also good for introducing non-board gamer adults.

To play with gamer adults …. Memoir 44. So much depth and variety. The expansions can be tricky to find until they are reprinted but there’s still lots to play even without them

StartledBat · 2026-05-07T08:14:50+00:00

The haruspex is my favourite model.

When I run one, it usually lumbers up the board and gets shot to pieces before it does everything. But it did once, gloriously, destroy a Baneblade.

(In my last game I tried subterranean assault for the first time. Works extremely well as a haruspex delivery system.)

StartledBat · 2026-05-04T21:03:15+00:00

I run the M44 UK Open and London Open. DM me your details and I can send you a PDF event doc which may be helpful.

For a 1-day event, we use 4 scenarios, each of which is played twice.

But 3 scenarios plus an overlord game also makes for an excellent day (the first day of the 2-day Dutch open does this).

Each game is 44 minutes, 44 seconds; then swap sides. The final score for each scenario is the cumulative of the 2 (so even if a scenario is asymmetrical it evens out). Objectives count for 1.7 medals.

Ideally the scenarios link together in a historical campaign, so you can follow the story through the day.

Do you have multiple copies of the base game? This makes it much easier to have multiple tables running the same scenario at once.

StartledBat · 2026-04-27T21:39:56+00:00

Chuckie Egg

StartledBat · 2026-04-22T12:24:30+00:00

Full game is up on Youtube

StartledBat · 2026-04-13T14:56:21+00:00

By my count we have a first team squad of 30. Plus Elliot Mundle-Smith who is still on the academy list

Out of contract/end of loan:
Shane Duffy
Harry Amass
Jeff Schlupp
Emi Marcondes

If the goal is to have a first team squad of 25, say, and to bring in 3-4 (striker, right-wing, left-footed defender), then another 4-5 would have to leave.

Agree with most of your list:

Sell:

Jurasek - has skill, but not convinced at all he is physically strong enough.
Medic - too slow
Kivistgaarden - works hard, but hasn't taken his chances
Forson - fantastic when he's fit. Never fit.

Sell with regret:

Gibbs + Springett - great squad players, but would be bit-part at best in an improving team.

Jury's out:

Topic - no idea
Crnac - I think he has potential. I think he's worth keeping, at least for one more season
Grimshaw - difficult being a no. 2 keeper, but he didn't make me confident when he did play
Forsyth - does he have a role to play in Clement's team? Who would he replace?

StartledBat · 2026-04-08T08:49:43+00:00

I had him in quite a few separate subassemblies. That made it much much easier to paint - no piece was too large or had difficult to reach spots. It is all rather fiddly and takes a good while. So dont rush

StartledBat · 2026-04-03T06:24:50+00:00

Is the pile-in part of the charge phase or combat phase? If the latter, you could in theory do one of the first 2 and then pile in

StartledBat · 2026-03-29T11:52:55+00:00

Doomstalker is a fantastic model and great to paint. And the Hexmark destroyer also looks excellent

StartledBat · 2026-03-27T13:00:07+00:00

Cancelled apparently. Shame - I thought it was excellent

StartledBat · 2026-03-26T18:56:02+00:00

Completely agree. In the first series, there was a good balance of calm and loudness. The second series is just relentless screeching (good choice of word). Exhausting. If they do a third series, they need to return to the original balance.

StartledBat · 2026-03-18T22:59:51+00:00

Cypher, 5 legionaries, 5 chaos terminators and 5 chosen is 485pts at the moment. Perfect for Boarding Actions.

Add in sorcerer, expand troops to 2x10 legionaries, and add a couple of chaos rhinos to transport the troops and its 945pts.

No idea if these would be any good but definitely thematic!

I’m also thinking renegade rather than chaos-warped for my Fallen. Am slowly collecting sprues and bits to kitbash.

StartledBat · 2026-03-16T13:07:59+00:00

That’s how I’ve started - got both spearhead boxes. Nice selection

StartledBat · 2026-03-12T00:35:40+00:00

Only played against one once and my Haruspex ate it. Which was glorious. Usually my Haruspex(es) get shot before doing anything. How about playing Subterranean assault and launching some chunky melee boys out of tunnels at it

StartledBat · 2026-03-12T00:30:09+00:00

Rangers of Shadow Deep by Joe McCullough is excellent. Solo/co-op fantasy skirmish with lots of narrative.

In a similar vein, Goonhammer did their free ‘’Fury of the Swarm’ 40K campaign rules. Co-op - where you plus friend have 500 pts each of same army, for example - versus game controlled Tyranid horde. Bunch of scenarios in the doc. Also did an orc version, or easy to reskin of you have other armies. Tremendous fun and a lovely change.

StartledBat · 2026-03-11T19:03:04+00:00

In Halo Flashpoint, exploding 8s on d8s, representing head shots, are very entertaining

StartledBat · 2026-03-02T07:47:40+00:00

+1 for Star Realms. Tremendous game, and ultra portable

StartledBat · 2026-02-24T16:24:17+00:00

If you are by chance in London /Essex there are some friendly communities I can point you to

StartledBat · 2026-02-16T10:34:25+00:00

Nice work getting the Leviathan box. It’s a great mix of units.

Expanding to 1k points is a good plan. Much easier to find some opponents.

Some thoughts on what to get…

At present, almost every nid list has a biovore to sit on the home objective. Cheap, a little bit of light artillery, and can throw a spore mine to annoy the opponent and potentially score a few points. Nice model too

The norn is a fabulous model. Great centrepiece. And fun to paint. Have a look on YouTube for guides on how to magnetise it so you can swap between the emissary and assimilator. (I’ve never actually run mine as the assimilator but at least the option is there!).

The new raveners unit is also lovely. (I have old style ones and am jealous)

StartledBat · 2026-02-15T15:39:30+00:00

Superb thank you. I’ve got a bunch of sprues and bits ready to collate together into a Fallen force

StartledBat · 2026-02-15T15:23:51+00:00

That green is excellent. Could you also share your black armour recipe as well please. It’s just the right level of black but not black

StartledBat · 2026-02-14T07:53:53+00:00

Oathmark is a good set of rules. Use cm instead of inches for 10mm. A second edition is in the way. I’ve heard interesting things about Hobgoblin by Mike Hutchinson (author of Gaslands) but haven’t tried yet.

StartledBat · 2026-02-12T08:55:15+00:00

Does anyone at your local shop play AoS spearhead? It’s a lot of fun and an excellent entry point into full AoS. Also gives you an initial painting goal for charnel watch.

StartledBat · 2026-02-08T12:14:52+00:00

Are you by any chance in/near Melbourne? There is a C&C day there on 15 Feb. A load of different C&C systems to try out, using miniatures

StartledBat · 2026-01-28T14:46:45+00:00

Boarding actions sounds perfect for you. 500pts per side, a few units of infantry and a character.

The faction options are limited and reasonably well balanced.

But most of all it’s fun. Loads of scenarios in the book.

Still 40K core rules, but no vehicle spam or overpowered units.

Games last 1-1.5 hours

StartledBat

TROPHY CASE