Kerric said:
Since this is a new column on a new topic I have a suggestion: could you explain how the &*#$ any of this works? I mean, how do you play a miniatures game? Do you move one piece at a time? How do you determine what you can hit? How do you measure distances? (Center to center? Edge to edge?) How big a table do you need? How does it differ from an RPG with a hex map and figurines? Do you need 3D models of environment? How do you handle terrain?
Furthermore, do you need figurines? If you know the rules, can you just use something else to represent pieces? (It's always puzzled me that such games are obsessed with expensive models - it's as if you couldn't play chess without a really detailed model of a tower for your rook).
I've read lots of WH40K fluff, but I have no idea how one actually (e.g. mechanically) play such a game. It would be of great interest to me (and perhaps others who "game" but have not played with miniatures) if you gave an introduction to miniature gaming.
I guess it would make sense for them to make an article explaining the basics of tabletop wargames, though they tend to vary in many aspects from one another.
Take Warmachine/Hordes for instance; You play on a 4 feet by 4 feet table (Or zones measured out on a bigger one if necessary), set up terrain (how this is done is very subjective) and then roll for who either goes first or picks the side they want to deploy their army on first. Depending on which set of scenario rules you play deployment varies slightly.
You measure from the edge of the base to a point on the table, or the edge of another models base in most instances, though there are exceptions, such as when placing a magical AoE with such a condition, in which case it's mostly "place anywhere completely within X", which obviously means the entire thing needs to be within the specified number.
As for the order of moving things, in Warmachine/Hordes you 'activate' a Model(Warcaster/Warjack/Solo as an example) or a Unit (A collection of more than one model, most often 6 or 10 if they are small based(30mm) and 3 to 6 if they are medium based (40mm) though there's exceptions to that particular rule as well), you then declare an order (Charge/Run being the most common order(s)) or simply advance(move normally) or forfeit your movement to gain Aim (Bonus to ranged attack rolls) with every model activated (So only the one model unless it's a unit) followed by an Action (Such as making a ranged or melee attack, or casting a spell(Though Warcasters don't need to use their action to cast spells, but that's beside the point)), then you resolve any additional rules and then their activation ends and you choose another model/unit to activate until your entire army has done something, at which point it's the opponents turn.
Terrain itself can be represented by strips of paper if you want, or massively detailed 3d pieces. It's all up to what you're satisfied with yourself, though some terrain pieces get pretty annoying if they're done too realistically
(Always fun to place top-heavy metal models on a natural looking hill). Terrain have clearly defined rules in the game, such as forests giving Concealment, Hills giving elevation, etc.)
The same goes for models too, but it gets a whole lot more confusing the higher point values and different types of units/solos/warnouns you add to your forces. Remember it's not just you who need to know what everything is, but your opponent needs to be able to look at your stuff and tell what it is, or at least be able to ask about it and (hopefully) remember for next time they see it. Having a poker chip represent something could get confusing easily, especially if the meaning of said chip changes each time! But there's nothing wrong with "proxing" a few models here or there, or doing it to try out another factions battlebox. (I tried proxing a 50point force once using another army, I gave up in the deployment step. TOO confusing, and I've got the rules down pat).
Besides that I personally enjoy the modeling and painting side of things, even if I'm a really slow painter with a penchant for being distracted by stuff
Warcaster - Iron Mother [http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d140/Shinreiku/Warhammer/Fists%20of%20the%20Convergence/IronMother-NearlyDone_zps125c2334.jpg]
I hope that helped, but if you've still got questions then feel free to ask and I'll try to answer them
