Starter Army

[Gubs]

What would a good starter army to introduce to a new player.  Say 400 points.  That's about 8-10ish models? Something that really captures that army's flavor.  For any faction.

[joshuaslater]

Matt--750 points would make for a good starter army for this game.  You could have a Dwarf army with the small size legion, (two gauntlets, two swordsmen, and leader.  A squad of around 5 with heavier weapons, maybe 4 vulture Xbows and a keeper.  750 points is about as small a game as you can play and still have a variety of troop types. 

A box set like what you did for the Isiri for Reaper would rock.  I bet veteran players would buy this as readily as newbies if it was a new faction too...
Three small squads and an individual.  Intriguing.
Cheers.

[Gubs]

shows what I know...

[Southpaw]

What would a good starter army to introduce to a new player.  Say 400 points.  That's about 8-10ish models? Something that really captures that army's flavor.  For any faction.

That's usually what I run for all my demos, be it at Cons, at stores, or where ever thay may be.

If I'm running a multi-person demo, I usually do 1 Warband, and 1 Individual per person per side, usually just basic troops, which works out to around 300-400 points or so.

If I'm running a 1 on 1 demo, I usually do 1 small basic Warband, 1 small archer Warband, and 2 Individuals, which is usually right at or near 500 points. This keeps things small, simple, fast, and easy for new players to control, while still giving ample demonstration of the game mechanics, and the flavor of the armies.

[Gubs]

A basic warband is 5 models (4 troops plus leader)?

[Southpaw]

A basic warband is 5 models (4 troops plus leader)?

Depends on the particular Warband. Some have smaller minimums, of say 2-4 plus Leader, while some are larger, such as Risen which are 8-16.

[joshuaslater]

I've looked at the Isiri box set you sculpted which I may paint one day. (primed, and starin' me in the face).

You could do a box set that had one squad of six (in three poses!) leader and standard bearer.  That's FIVE, count'em FIVE sculpts for that unit.

Then you could sculpt another squad of four (archers?) in TWO poses.

Then you could sculpt ONE or TWO individuals.

Thats' anywhere between 6- 9 sculpts for ya Matt, dependin' on whether you go with the (gasp!) three pose grunt option, or how many individuals you sculpt.

I'll crunch some numbers and give you a concrete example drawing from your EE track record.  Cheers.

[Gubs]

Would two units and an individual give enough tactical flexibility to really showcase the game for a new player? Wouldn't three  units of three, plus an individual be a better option?

[joshuaslater]

Most units in the game don't present in threes--some are leader plus two.  I see Southpaws point about the size of a demo game/starter set, but I think a little more is needed.

Matt, work with us; give us a hypothetical Chronopia army choice (Elf, Blackblood, Dwarf, etc.)  and we'll give you a more concrete number.

Bringin' us back to demo size.  I still think more than 400 points---600 really would be enough to kick off a starter army.  If you're just shooting for 300---400 that could even be ONE unit and an individual dependin' on the army list.   

Lookin' at your EE sculpts, you sculpted some of the MOST expensive Dwarf models.  The Desert Wolf guys are 45 points each, and you need a minimum of four.  The Wolf Clan Scouts are around 48 each, but you need a Leader (51 points)--so two plus leader is 147.  You're up to 180 and 147 to total at 327 right there. 

[Anomander_Rake]

to demo the game I wouldn't use more than 2 units and an Individual.

What kind of units I would use would depend on the experience of the guy I want to demo...

If they would have never played a tabletop, I would use a unit with not so much special rules, as the game rules can be enough for newbies...

With firstborn I would use some swordsmen and archers lead by a repulsar...the special rules of the repulsar aren't that difficult to understand. On the other side I would field some elven swordsmen and archers and perhaps a dragonbane...

Don't choose units that cause to much questions...like why do this troops do sweep and that don't...or something like this...

In my experience there more rules you present to newbies the more difficult it is for them...

If you ran a demo with experienced player from other games...you can go for 3 units and one or two individuals...

just my two cents...

Anomander Rake

[Gubs]

Aren't basic troops generally in the 30 point range?  Point costs are less relevant to me than the minimum number of units or figures required to get an interesting game in.

[Gallagher_Standard_Barer]

My advice for a basic army to introduce new players to the game (not I do not play chronopia, just warzone so my input is more about wargaming in general rather than specific to chronopia) is one unit and one individual, avoid special abilities as much as you can, and don't worry too much about point value as long as the different sides of the battle are relatively balenced.  As for what specific units, I'm sure some of the chronopia players on here would be happy to put together a few lists for you.  Right? Someone?

[Ruther]

What i would use for that purpose would be 1 warband of Firsborn swordmen (4+1+1+1with the standardbearer and the Twohander) + the paladin against 1 warband of orcish swordmen (same composition) and a net troll. You could choose a different standard for every warband to show the differnces and the varity there.

This shows  a good aspect of the game i.e. the alternative activations, the individual use of actions and the whole WAIT issue.

[joshuaslater]

Yes Matt, basic troops are in the 30 point range.  Here's a fantasy list of figs that I would like to see, some on the roster and not done, and some I've been sweatin' Thom to add:
1. The Grunts:  The Wolf Clan Dwarf Axemen  40 points each, leader is 42  That's three poses.  Let's say we have 6 plus leader, that's 282 points right there.  These guys are heavily armored, and go berserk--very cool troop that needs to be filled.
2.  Other grunts: Let's give the Wolf Clan some archers with composite bows and light armor.  Thom would have to give us the stats and point cost, but they would be around 30 points each, and you would have two poses and a third for the leader.
3.  Individual #1  The Scavenger.  Less armored, more feral version of your Wolf Clan Scout.  An entirely different sculpt, armed with an axe and a hand crossbow
4.  The Wolf Totem--this big two headed wolf needs to be done.  It's the smallest of the Dwarven Totems, so it would be about the size of the Argus Hound from the Hordes Line.
5.  The keeper who get's thrown in the box set is the model that transforms into the Totem.  If you wanted a more specific sculpt, it could be redone, or the old one could be included.
Breakin' it down, you'd have two squads, comin' in at around 432 points, that's with an estimate on the Wolf Clan gettin' some archers at 30 points each.  Then the Keeper is 98 and the Scavenger 72.  We're lookin' at about 602 points right there.

This list is almost entirely holes in the lineup with the exception of the archers, who would be new to the roster.  It would involve your talents rockin' at least 8 different poses to sculpt for this game system, or alternately more if you got ambitious and did three for the Axemen and a new Keeper specific to the Wolf Clan.  If somehow you get slated to do this project, please leave the Axemen w/o helmets to show off their Berserkin' faces--complete with the longest, blown out, Isaac Asimov, mutton chops the Dwarf world has ever seen.  If you can capture the drool from their rage, well hell, who wouldn't buy these models?   Run it by the big guy.  
Cheers.

[Coil]

Aren't basic troops generally in the 30 point range?  Point costs are less relevant to me than the minimum number of units or figures required to get an interesting game in.

I would say that a good start is two close combat warbands (around 5-7 models each depending on if they have specialists or not) and one individual.

As a next step I would add a missile warband (another 4-5 models). By now you should have an army of around 500 points. After that I would add in a more elite style Warband (4-5 models maybe) and another indivdual (maybe a spell caster) and you should be up in the 750 point range which is a very good size in my opinion.