5th Edition Retooling
Hi Guys,
5th Edition is here! One of the questions we get asked often is “How do you guys energize a play group to get everyone’s level up, and how can I move beyond standard pickup-game play?”
Well folks we have all been there, and sometimes after a long period of stability the game can seem like old hat. Week after week can blur together, and you begin to wonder how to move beyond the standard week after week play. Luckily for us all 5th is here and a new edition is the best time to get re-energized about the game. Its a great opportunity to “level the playing field” because its the one time when no-one knows the rules better than anyone else.
What we do is have every one of our members (everyone) go buy their own copy of the hardback. I’m always stunned by how many players who can afford a $50 box of 5 terminators will play the game for years and never own a rulebook. Then have each of your members put aside some time and carefully read (not skimming) the entire rules section word by word, from front to back. When you are dealing with edition changes its very easy to skim because you think you know the rules already and miss that key phrase GW changed… We usually then convene a meet at our next gaming section and have everyone bring a list of the things they were most surprised by in the new rules. As you talk these over, you will catch the things that you missed and empart new things to your other players. The net effect is that after only a few days, your entire playgroup will understand the rules at the same level, which is the goal for fun balanced play.
I’m also a fan of “cheatsheets”. If you all find that there is a set of little niggly rules that you often forget, sit down with your group and write down a top 10 list of commonly forgotten rules along with page numbers. Ideally work this list into a cool graphics file with an attached 6″ ruler and laminate them. Now you have a handy tool to use to play, and a constant reminder of those hard to remember rules. After a few games, you can ditch the cheatsheets and the rules will become 2nd nature.
As for moving beyond standard pick-up game, we here at BoLS are true believers in the incredible fun to be had in narrative play. We wouldn’t be cranking out campaign books if we didn’t. The key is to start with something simple. Don’t go off and try to craft a crazy 140 page campaign book (like I’m doing at the moment). Start with something like a set of 2 custom missions where the effects of the first mission slightly alter the second one. Have some fun inventing some cool narrative pairs of missions that allow your guys to reuse their army twice in the same night and get everyone’s feet wet with non-pickup games.
Before you know it, your ideas will begin to build on each other, and you’re group will want to start making larger themed games than link into each other from week to week and you’re off to the races! A nice side-effect of campaign play, is you can set whatever house rules your group wants to get folks to not take really abusive armies and instead focus on having fun instead. I’ve found that once guys really get into fluffy narrative games, that happens naturally anyway, as no one wants be the one who “brings the chainsaw to the wedding shower” and ruin everyone else’s fun. Its about at this stage that everyone’s inner hobbyist comes out and even the grizzled old vets can really get into building and converting their own dream campaign army.
Happy gaming, enjoy 5th, and may you only roll 6s!
~I’d love to hear how you guys are planning to get into 5th Edition, and what your local clubs are into playstyle-wise. Are you the hardest-core of the hardest-core, do you enjoy the narrative side of things, or somewhere in between?
