Sunday, February 5, 2012

SinSynn thinks about tanks

Hey folks, SinSynn here.

So I realize this might totally be a guy thing, but...
How cool are tanks?
...pretty cool, amirite?


I dinna care whether they're like, sci-fi floating tanks...

*Somewhat useless, but still hella kewl. Yes, I have a buncha magnetized Skyray turrets, too*


They can be conventional style, but still sci-fi, and I'll probably still like them.

*I like to see these with Railgun holes in 'em, or covered in Genestealers*






Heck, we can even jump back in the past, and you'll still find me going 'wow, that's friggin' cool.'

*Micheal Wittman, in his Tiger 1E, from Flames of War. He was da man*


Tell ya what- you can take the treads off, give a tank legs of some sort, and call it a 'mech,' or some silly word that basically means the same thing (like, I dunno...how 'bout 'warjack'?), and I'll probably dig that, too.
I'm not sure if it's genetically encoded into all male creatures in the universe, but I'm pretty sure we all think massive machines of war are friggin' cool.

*shrug*

Waddayagonnado?
Embrace it, I say.
:)




And so, my Flames of War obsession continues apace.
Third Edition FoW is gonna be here, any day now, and big changes are coming.

Mech lists will see a huge boost thanks to transport kills not counting against platoon morale, Infantry will be able to boost squad stand counts with attachments, tanks will find assaults riskier, and many other lil' tweaks are inbound.

For the curious, I'd recommend going to the FoW main page, where the new 3rd Edition reference guide has been made available for download (that'll give you somethin' to gander at!), and maybe hitting this ongoing thread from their forum:

http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.aspx?tabid=126&aff=6&aft=537732&afv=topic


Some of these changes are going to alter the current balance of the game- especially the change to transports, which will make mech lists FAR more viable in a tournament environment.
I have to say I'm very happy with what I've seen so far- and these aren't 'rumors,' these are confirmed changes to the game...and it looks like it's gonna be da awesome.

The only actual 'rumor' I've heard has to do with the Missions, and that there might be TWO new 'Free-for-All' styled additions.
All platoons start on the table, no reserves.
Well....hmph.

*That's my Mission Design plans he's draining*




Well, whatevs.
I'll wait and see what happens, and when I actually get the book in my hands, I'll take it from there.

Regardless, it feels good to be psyched about my hobby for once, and not filled with something resembling dread and trepidation.
Love you Battlefront...
You complete me.
<3

As for 'floating sci-fi tanks,' well...that's also on 'wait and see' mode.


But as for mechs, or whatever we're calling them, I'm sorta curious about this:

*Mmmm...Mechy goodness*



Andy Chambers, former Games Workshop employee, is at the helm, and not for nuthin,' but I'm willing give Andy the benefit of the doubt, and check this out.
Him and a few other gents left right before GW went totally wonky, I believe...

Note- I said I was done riffing 'bout GW, and I am.
Moving on now.

Dust Warfare looks like it might have potential. The models are cool, and it seems like Fantasy Flight is making a big effort to do it right.
There are many games I'm interested in, but I already play FoW, and I'm gearing up for Infinity (reading rules, building figs and stuffs), and there's always a closet full of models from that other game...
...which shall remain nameless for the moment...

...and somewhere in my closet, Shadowsun weeps in lonely darkness...

:(




So...also speaking of tanks....

Being the big, dumb knucklehead I am, I had to go and watch a World of Tanks video over at What Would Patton Do.
(which is totally da awesome FoW blog...but everybody knows that, right? Go read Fields of Armor, Crac des Chevaliers, and AV's Corner, too...) 

...Sigh.
Stupid XBox live account ends on a bad bill month, and I desperately needed to shoot something...in a video game.
Don't you judge me!
We all cope with life in different ways...

*I like to cope by shooting stuffs online...stuffs with people- no AI's*


I'm enjoying the game so far, although I'm more than a bit bemused at running into opponents in a 'shooter' game that I literally can't hurt, at all.
That's, uh...new to me. Played a lotta shooters, never seen that in a game before.

It wasn't really an issue with the Tier 1 through 3 tanks, but now that I'm trying to grind my way through the Hetzer (which blows monkeys, I think- the Marder was better) on my way to a Jagdzpanzer (want it), I'm running into Tier 7's.

It's a lil' painful to see a couple of those guys cresting a hill, and knowing you're toast.
Sigh...there goes 5 minutes of getting into position, and now I gotta wait for the round to end...

My lil' Hetzer creeping up a steep hill like a doped out Wall-E is also a lil' sad.

...clackaclackaclackaclackaclackaclacka...

I generally just point the poor lil' thing where I want him to go, and tab over to like, Tentacle Hentai or something for a few minutes (usually about 3...or less if it's a good one. Heh) until I hear the engine stop having an asthma attack.

I like the game and all, but it's sorta like a FPS for the geriatric crowd, or something.
It plays at a slower, more deliberate pace than say, Battlefield's vehicles do, and is far less forgiving of mistakes like poor positioning.
No bailing the vehicle here, no respawns. You're just dead.

It's an interesting change of pace from the FPS's I've been playing for years, so I guess you can call me part of the geriatric crowd....
:D


Sigh...what a victim I am. But...it's tanks!

I'm SinSynn when I play World of Tanks, naturally. Hit me up.
Hope to see you on the green team!

I love tankie tanks.
They're da awesome.


Until next time, folks- Exit with catchphrase!

-SinSynn

22 comments:

  1. Hey man I'm on there all the time, I just added you. We can platoon up and help you work on that Hetzer (It does get better when you get the upgrades).

    I freaking love this game, I've actually been paying real money for shit as well because I enjoy it so.

    Tanks are the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cool deal.
      Today is Superbowl Sunday...so I may be on a few hours after the game.
      May aim may be a lil' off.
      ;)

      Delete
    2. Mate I'll be on pre-bowl. I'm in Aussie and am watching also but will play a little before then a bit more after.

      I added you as a contact anyway, message me if you want to platoon, I have some Teir 5's to use.

      Delete
    3. I added you, too.
      Hopping on right now in fact (dogs are walked, and the Crazy Lady I Live With informs me my chores are done, and I can play. Yay!)
      I'm on the W.o.T. server...can't figure out a way to message you, though....

      Delete
  2. You are so right about the tanky goodness. And if you haven't already, you should check out http://concepttanks.blogspot.com/.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my goodness...
      Every one of these things needs to be in a tabletop game, and a video game, and, and...
      Damn...tanks are just SO awesome.

      :D

      Delete
    2. Yeah concept tanks is pretty sweet actually. The dude who does all the stuff for Crytek has a website too for all his design works. He's doing a few things for Jed at Antenocitis Workshop to turn into miniatures.

      Delete
  3. Chambers is good people. He left to sign up with Blizzard when it became obvious where the money was, and I think he designed the WoW TCG (which I am reliably informed is pretty solid, as these things go). I would be cautiously optimistic about any game with Chambers at the helm...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's what I'm thinking.
      Hmmm...how to say this without technically 'riffing about GW'....

      ...Well, I like Phil Kelly!
      ;)

      That being said, I'm genuinely interested to what Dust Tactics brings to the table..
      Aw, damn...that was like, a pun...
      I could've done better.
      Hmph.

      So, yeah- cautiously optimistic.
      I've got room in my life for one more game, maybe.
      It's got mechs...It's Fantasy Flight.
      Here's hoping!

      I'll literally hafta repack this stuff in GW boxes to get it in the house without the Crazy Lady flipping out about it.
      'Oh God! New boxes! You're doing it again! I'm still recycling boxes from the tank game!'

      Sigh.

      Delete
  4. Heya SinSynn, glad I could tempt you with yet another game, Dust Warfare is looking good. AC is a good guy. I agree with Von he knows his stuff, but Vons wrong he didn't leave GW to join Blizzard because he knew where the money was. He left because like a number of peeps at GW at the time they felt they were being pushed. He actually joined Mongoose publishing in 2003 after leaving GW and worked on the awesome and sadly over looked Starship Troopers game. I think he joined Blizzard a few years later.

    Any who back to tanks... yes they're cool. I think there are only s few things cooler than tanks, one of those things are hover vehicles. So you know what I think about hover tanks. Mech's are also cooler than tanks. I love me some mechs, especially manga mechs... but we're back round to Dust again aren't we? What with their walking tanks. Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I swear if I wasn't waiting on Dust Warfare, I SO woulda bought some Freebooters stuff.
      Yer the worst.

      Did you get my death threats?
      :)

      Any who, back to tanks...
      The thing about tanks is, there all pretty much equally cool for like, different reasons.

      Sci-Fi skimmers have that 'wow' factor, and are usually very sleek and sexy.

      But the convention tracked vehicle (in it's many iterations), has that mighty air about it, like it'll just grind everything under in a bloody, merciless fashion.
      Very powerful and menacing- you know when the turret turns towards you, it's gonna be bad.
      Run for yer life.
      :D

      Like this:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY_5c0mBXok

      I got goosebumps when I saw this thing moving, and heard it's tracks on the pavement.
      There is NO WAY I would wanna be around when that thing showed up. No friggin' way.

      And really...what anime guy doesn't harbor an interest in things like 'wanzers'?
      A mech by any other name...is still awfully cool.

      Delete
  5. Dust Tactics and Dust Warfare are SO SO SO good. I geeked out like crazy on them last year, when we had a demo table set up and we played the shit out of the starter... So reminiscent of AT43, but with SUPPORT this time, instead of a dying French company (which still has the best paints I've ever used)...

    The one real downside of FantasyFlight is their release schedule. For the most part, they have created a monster of sexy games everyone wants to play, and they have oodles of cash coming in from licensing stuff (Star Wars card game, anyone??) that they can take their time with releases. Which means a lot of broken lil hearts.... Booooo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand Dust Warfare has been delayed once already.
      I'm not a fan of glacial release schedules, but I'd rather have them delay the initial release and iron out bugs now rather than through FAQ's.
      Once the game gets off the deck though, hopefully they'll follow the lead companies like PP have set with regards to their release schedule.
      Hopefully.
      Now I have dread, and trepidation.
      Thanks, Lo.'

      Delete
  6. WoT is crack.

    I love my WoT crack. even with standard account (cuz I'm a cheapskate)

    if it helps, all t4 tanks suck, and are a pain to grind. I think my worst grinds (enjoyment wise) were the T-28 (Russian Medium, with crepe paper armor), and the M3 Lee (but I eventually got a little hang of it.)

    easiest T4 grind was the AMX40 French light (but it behaves like a heavy). It was actually enjoyable to get through.

    but now, I'm really close to rockin all the way to the T30 American heavy. American Heavys are their own circle of purgatory. Ironically, German and Soviet trees seem to be the easy trees.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hate AMX's, dude.
      I'm doing the German Tank Destroyers...
      I have no excuses to offer.
      I want a Jagdpanther.
      I want it.

      Having a lotta fun for free, I gotta tell ya.
      Got my mods and skins installed, and my lil' Hetzer isn't COMPLETELY miserable anymore, since I upped the gun, engine and suspension.
      I'm well on my way to the Stug.
      :)

      I know TD's aren't optimal, and I've never been into the 'sniper thing' when I FPS.
      But...it's a Jag, man...and I want it.

      Delete
  7. If you love the tanks, you outta go buy/checkout Bolo by David Weber. That book is definitely some tanky goodness wrapped up in a flaky crust of pure win.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooh!
      That sounds cool - the wiki page alone has me interested.
      Another book for the list...I still gotta pick up 'Tigers in the Mud,' by Otto Carius.

      You just can't go wrong with tanks, I swear.
      Unless you're on the wrong end of the barrel...
      ;)

      Delete
  8. mmm, tanks and Mechs and, well for me it's cars and planes too, I'm a total sucka for Metal marvels in all shapes and guises.

    I think iwould probably like FoW but I needs me some sci-fi so Infinity won it's place as my second game, though currently I play it as much as 40k if not slightly more, the TAGS give me the same little shivers of child like joy that the sound of a guttaral V8 on tickover does.

    Fortunately for Corvus Belli I cannot afford to indulge my other weakness's....

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    1. That's why I get so burnt at Frontline...showing me all this stuffs I want.
      It's horrible.

      I literally CAN'T play every game I'd like to, and not only for financial reasons.
      Even if I had the money, and the time, I think I can only support a handful of rulesets in my mind.
      I'd just be playing a bunch of games, I wouldn't be GOOD at any of them, I don't think.

      Everybody's mind works in different ways, I think. I just can't see me playing more than 3 or so mini games.
      *shrug*

      Honestly, right now it's two.
      I'm loving FoW more than I thought I would as time goes by, and I'm sure you know I heart Infinity.
      The unmentionable game is fading away right now, and by this time next year may be gone, or may make a comeback, we'll see.

      I was roped and hogtied, and pulled kicking and screaming into FoW, dude...I'm a sci-fi guy, too.
      Pretty glad I was though, as it's a helluva game.
      :)

      And...tanks.
      ;)

      Delete
  9. One of my favorite FOW armies is my early war M3 horde.
    A platoon of 17 M3 Stuarts with supporting elements is a lot of fun. 5 macheineguns for mowing down infantry. And they are fast at 16" cross country!

    After reading all this I need to try WOT.

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    Replies
    1. Dear lord...how many dice does that army roll when the machine guns start shooting?
      :P

      Those lil' things are evil.

      WoT is pretty cool.
      Everything is mellow as you roll into position, but when those red dots start appearing on the mini map, and tanks start exchanging fire, it gets hectic really quick.
      And the there's those times when I'm sitting in a bush, chilling in my Hetzer, and a some Tier 7 monster shows up and just starts laying waste to everyone.
      Good times, man.
      :D

      It's not a 'competitive shooter,' since performance is very much based on things like upgrades, and time spent in the game (like an MMO), but it certainly is a hoot!

      Delete
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    ReplyDelete