Jotum Gangnam Style

What's this I hear you cry? Two posts in three days? Has the world gone mad? And why are you not painting Martin? Well dear reader, I ask for a moment of your time whilst we address two burning issues (possibly need to see a doctor about those...), notably TAGs and what it is that leads us to collect a force or change our minds.
 So today I was lucky enough to acquire my second TAG, the Jotum, from Bruce. Ignore the missing shoulder pad and lack of armoured codpiece (will be collected tomorrow), this thing is a beast! It's Armour 10, BTS 9 and has 3 Structure. Couple that with a Multi HMG and Heavy Flamethrower and you've got a roadblock that when in cover is literally immune to small-arms fire. Admittedly 103 pts and 2 SWC is a heady cost, over a third of your force, and currently not in any Sectorial List so it may find it difficult to find orders as there isn't the order conservation that Fire Teams bring to the force. It can be parked into cover and then engage Suppressive Fire to deny a  huge part of the table, which may be the best use of it, time will tell.

I also finished painting my Squalo yesterday. I feel sorry for the Squalo as it is the 'generic' TAG for PanO. It doesn't look as flashy as the others, not is it in an exciting pose. Its role is indirect fire support with the Grenade Launcher (debatable as to whether or not it's modelled on). It was a lovely model to paint, but it feels unfinished. I will try to paint the PanO symbol onto one shoulder and I'm unsure about the second shoulder pad. I was thinking a pin-up; maybe Joan in a bikini or less (bewbs...) or the Squalo symbol, but might do something different if an idea hits me. I'm looking forward to trying him out though as I want to see for myself whether generic outweighs specialist, and I want to see how TAGs run.

In addition Ben has traded in his USAriadna for PanO (see more below) which has netted me a Cutter. This is the TAG I am most excited about with its TO:Camo. Sadly this needs a 55mm Camo marker (55mm marker? WTF?) so anyone playing me will know exactly what it is, but forcing people to discover it before they can shoot is always a bonus. It's also an awesome model, and has the bonus of already being assembled (Squalo was a total bitch). Its only got a Multi HMG, no flamethrower, pistol or big stick to turn against the enemy when shit hits the fan.
 So, TAGs... They are the obligatory 'big models' in the range and I have been quite vocal over the years in my opposition to 'use the big models' in games. Why is this? Firstly, I do not despise big models. I love dragons, dinosaurs and mechs as much as the next man. I love building and painting them, and using them too. However they come with inherent issues. In my opinion the Games Workshop games got worse the more big models came out as they stopped being about tactics, units and heroes and more about who had the biggest wallet. As a result armies of 6 demon princes, 9 Leman Russes, God-knows Knight-Errants etc have become the 'norm' along with high-price point pieces of terrain with beneficial effects for their owner. This became an issue for Warmachine/Hordes with the Battle Engines and to a greater extent the Gargantuan/Colossus  models and was one of the main reasons that Ben and I stopped playing. I worry that with the Emissaries Malifaux is leaning in this direction, and I shudder when I hear the words 'the Shadow Emissary is an auto-include in my lists...' Nothing spoils a game quickly than a model which can, in theory, wipe out half an opponent's force in a turn, will realistically only die to another 'big' model, and can conceivable (is often encouraged to be) fielded in pairs or greater. So why TAGs? Well Infinity is not a game that is based around killing stuff, and can be lost if you can't collect objectives. TAGs are easy enough to play around and drop (forums are full of threads how 4 6 pt Nomads can 'guaranteed' drop a Squalo for no loss), they can't take objectives and you have very limited numbers of orders to stick into one thus there is only so much it can do. They will not be fielded in every game unlike the Star Drake in a Sigmarite force; the range for each force is large enough that no-one suffers the issue that the Fyreslayers suffer in AoS of having 4-5 kits to choose from, thus making the Magmabeast essential. Plus, and this is a big point: they aren't £50+ for a single model, thus they are still very affordable!

 So, point two. To (mis)quote Chen Stormstout 'why do we collect?' Or 'how do we choose which faction to collect?' I've always been fairly lucky when starting a new gaming system in that I generally have selected a faction at the start and happily collected away, maybe branching out later on down the line, often filling out the majority of the 'slots' in the range as I do so. I usually find a force quickly as there will be models that draw me in and I build my collection around them. Elves in Warhammer, Eldar and Space Marines in Warhammer 40k, Cygnar and Legion of Everblight in Warmahordes, Arcanists then Thunders in Malifaux (Guild came later); very rarely was there a false start. Indeed the false starts have come from deciding that the game, rather than the force was not for me. So why does Ben struggle so compared to me? I think that it comes down to the fact that he over-researches the faction/army etc, frequently trying to buy a 'list' rather than a range. I pick models I like, then expand it into as full a collection as I can which gives me choice. I then use the bits of the force that I like whilst others discover how it feels to be Wayne Rooney, relegated to the bench until popular demand forces their use. I also know what I like from a force; good firepower, decent close-combat, and relatively high numbers. This often means that I field large numbers of basic infantry with the moderately priced 'elite' infantry rather than the super-troopers. Solid fire-bases and a battle line that covers the table are marks of my play-style, with medic style troops in the backfield. Often a push up one flank or an attempt to split the enemy with a strong 'wedge' will make up my offence. I often look for 'deep striking' troops for suicide missions/assassinations, who alternatively can be used to bolster my 'hook'/'push'. I like my ranges to have as many pretty female models as possible, or full-face masks that give a 'Darth Vadar' look to more sinister looking models. As a result when I saw the PanO starter I was immediately sold: AD Commando, fire-base of Fusiliers and Nisse, with the ORC for the push. A TAG or Bulleteers could bolster the line or lead the advance, and the option of Knightly Orders for a charge through the flank/centre, or Bagh Mari/Bolts to play more defensively or relentlessly advance  had me sussed. I haven't look back or seriously contemplated a new faction, other than to add Aleph to my Sectorials. I did think about a second faction as a small force but that was more out of curiosity than a definite will-do. Incidentally it would be Haqq Islam with the Kum bikers, the Concubines and some basic guys; another hold the line approach with a strong hook...
The point I'm making is that I am comfortable with a play style and I know what I'm looking for in a miniature range ahead of time which makes my life easier. Understanding this allows me to find the army that fits me best and allows me to learn the game, meaning that I can comfortably branch out into others knowing what the game is about. Learning a new game with an army that you are not sold on is a nightmare and one that is likely to result in you not enjoying yourself and possibly not collecting the game. I tried to recollect Magic: The Gathering a few years ago with a Black deck. I've never been one for the Black decks with their stat-decreasing cards and lower power creatures. I disliked every minute of it and never got back into it. Had I gone Green/White then I suspect it would've been a different story entirely.
Next time we will talk more models, painting, gaming and why I like the models I do. Until then take care readers.