Feeling the heat - Best course of action

Hi there!

My friends and I recently began our Mercenary-only Mordheim campaign again after a year's hiatus. Vanilla (living rulebook) Mordheim rules only. To make things a little more interesting than the standard get-close-and-personal routine, I chose a Marienburg warband and sacrificed a lot to equip one of my marksmen with a hochland rifle from the start. It has made a decent contribution to my winnings.

However, nothing ever stays the same and with my captain having taken Weapons Expert (ranged) and Hunter (fire hochland every turn), I fear that my fellow friends are going to gang up on me outside of the game and introduce the optional blackpowder weapons rule. I have been holding them off for now, citing that my warband is rather useless as it still depends on the hochland to keep enemies away. I fear my argument will fall on deaf ears once my captain gets Nimble (Ignore Move Or Shoot rule).

So what do I do if worst comes to pass? Do I

A) Opt for a decreased price on *all* blackpowder weapons as the optional rules recommend? If so, how much should I aim for?

B) Allow the optional rules, but make a house rule stating that the weapon can never be destroyed?

I sincerely hope that it will never come to pass as I am the only one trying to use blackpowder weapons for a change since their cost and function limits them compared to a traditional bow. Also because my friends don't see "shooting, running and hiding/camping" as a tactic.

welcome aboard!

If you are only using vanilla rules the hochland should not be very powerful. Reiklanders should own you. My hochland hits and kills maybe once every 2 or 3 games. (Hunter, Tickshot, usually Superior Black Powder. Usually I score a kill against the warband that isn't shooting back.)


I would recommend adding more terrain. If you want optional rules the Raining Fishes weather rules are a good time as well.

Von Kurst wrote:

welcome aboard!

If you are only using vanilla rules the hochland should not be very powerful. Reiklanders should own you. My hochland hits and kills maybe once every 2 or 3 games. (Hunter, Tickshot, usually Superior Black Powder. Usually I score a kill against the warband that isn't shooting back.)


I would recommend adding more terrain. If you want optional rules the Raining Fishes weather rules are a good time as well.

It's funny that you mention terrain. One of my friends, a rather close combat focused Middenheimer warband, purposely places a big chunk of obscuring terrain in the middle of the map so that my vision is blocked. So at least he knows my weakness. Funny how he complains when I then hole myself up in a building, so that I get a chance to kill his 9 close combat guys before he decimates my puny 3 close combat guys.

I'll see if we can find/get some more terrain.

I’ve heard this before, where 1 player seems to have an advantage over the group. Even though the rules are being followed as setup in the beginning of the campaign. Then the other players want to change the rules to now claim balance. If you agreed to not use the Black Powder rules, Weather, and or Radom Happenings rules from the beginning, then that decision should be adhered to throughout the campaign. Sure, you could have spent more gold on other equipment or members, but you chose to buy a single big item for one guy and low number Band. That’s not wrong or cheating. Because, the other players could have done the same thing. There’s always a risk when buying your Band in the beginning, should I going with numbers or equipment? The Moral of this banter is, don’t allow the rules to be changed after the Campaign has started. Any new rules or options should wait until the next Campaign Start.

As others of said, terrain is a big part of strategy. If a player is a BIG shooter type player, place lots of terrain for cover and hiding so he has trouble getting a clear shot. Also, if a player is big on Close Combat and you’re a shooter, then you want lots of open area with straight lines of site, and high buildings to shoot from. Terrain placement is almost as important the Warband Skills and Equipment. Because of this theory, I’m referred to as one of those Evil Power Gamers. I play the game with strategy more than story.

My suggestion to the other players in you group for this campaign, if they want your shooter gone, then combine forces. You can’t shoot them all. Someone will get through and take your shooter out. I’ve done it with other players to take out a strong opponent. The Enemy of my Enemy is my friend.

“Let’s work together this time and take him out. We’ll sort our differences after.”

Sounds like some good advice Shadowphx. I'll try to use that as an argument if they bring it up again during the campaign (we are running for first warband to get to 15 won battles).

Quote :

“Let’s work together this time and take him out. We’ll sort our differences after.”

They really should think about this more if they feel so threatened by my 1 Hochland Rifle shooter. They did it once when we had a 3 player streetfight (we made it a T section). 2 players were supposed to go to my end and I towards either of theirs. When they come into line of sight to each other, they decided to ally and run me over. Luckily, I managed to kill enough to make both route before they neared my edge.

I can not believe that the long rifle is so effective in your games, because you could have bought 8[b] crossbows instead.

Do you play with so few buildings/terrain?

Or maybe you use some special dices No just kidding.

I myself played a Marienburger warband with 8 ranged weapons in the beginning and i really did not hit so much.

We currently give the black powder weapons (like handun or hunting rifle) an upgrade because nobody buys them.

SerialMoM

The Rifle is good, but if you dropped 200 gold on it then it should be good. Personally I think that the Crossbow would be a much better bang for the buck, and any warband that has 7 marksmen with them should be able to out shoot you.

If they are just mad that you are out ranging them then they should look into building more terrain, and not allowing you the chance to out gun them.

My last champagne I played Lizardmen and I had short bows, so elves, mercs, dwarves, etc... all out shot me. So I put together a lot of large terrain that made it easier to hide, and to get around the board without being wide-open for shot after shot.

Now I am playing Reiklanders and everyone else is taking advantage of the terrain that I built.

BTW, the rulebook states, if using blackpowder rules, the price drops by 20%... so in the chance you can't convince them otherwise, at least you can argue that you get a 40gc rebate on your rifle (considering you paid full price.) Not much of a consulation, but it buys you another crossbow and a half.

I would:

A: Insist on playing the campaign with the rules at start.

or

B: Allow the rule to change but you get the option of either;
1. Getting that 20% off you initial purchase should you decide to stay with the Rifle
or
2. Getting a full refund for the rifle, plus being able to repick your skills of the character equipped with the rifle. The reasoning is that it was central to your strategy from the beginning, and it has clearly influenced your skill choices.

If you allow the rule to change but would want #2 and they won't allow it, then say "too bad" and stick with A.

Though really, if they're letting one model with a rifle completely disrupt them so much, I'm betting you don't have much to fear from their tactical abilities either way.