In this episode, we talk about the Astra Militarum, or the Imperial Guard. In this first part of a two part podcast, we talk about the history of the Astra Militarum and an overview of how the army plays in 40K. We then discuss each of the regiments, including their history, rules, some interesting combinations, and units that play to their strengths.

Episode 95: Astra Militarum Part 1

Our podcast is for Warhammer 40k players of all levels of experience, but especially for players like us who don’t play as often as they wish but want to be better. We provide content to help players learn the rules, their army, what armies they will be facing, and tactics to improve their game.  We also promote being a good opponent and working to ensure that every game is an enjoyable experience for all players. Finally, we want to help you to build up your own local community of players.

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Episode 133: The Final Episode

In this episode, we talk about power fantasy; how it shows up in media and games and especially how it is represented in 40K. Rules in the game of 40K that allow players to act out the power fantasy of their army can often be at odds with the balance of the game, so we will discuss the tension between the two and how it impacts the state of the game with each new book that is released.

Episode 132: Power Fantasy vs. Balance in 40K

Welcome to the 7th annual Battlehosts Christmas episode. In this episode, we cover the major events and releases for 40K and discuss the state of the hobby as we near the end of 2021. We also talk about the state of the 40K community and our wishes for next year.

Episode 131: Christmas 2021

In this episode, we talk about the origins of the 40K universe and discuss it as a work of satire. Although it has changed over the last 30 years, it's roots are in the "grimdark" universe that was first created in the 80s. We also discuss how some can miss the point of 40k as satire. We also review the new Warhammer Plus and whether it is worth your money.

Episode 130: 40K a Grimdark Satire

In this episode, we are talk about competitive versus casual players in 40k; how they view the hobby and how they like to play the game. We discuss what happens when their expectations clash during a game. We also talk about starting and ending a project, when to call it done, and when to bail. 

Introduction

40k players play the game for lots of different reasons, some want to play competitively, some want to tell a story, others just want to hang out with friends, a few want to do all three. The problem typically comes when players with different expectations play each other; it can lead to feel bad experiences.

The game of 40K is unique because it can be narrative, or casual, or competitive.  There is a lot of space to be either extreme. It has its roots in RPGs on the table top and has changed to favor one or the other over the years. The latest editions formally recognize the different styles of play and provide systems designed for the different types of players.

Types of players: narrative players, casual players, competitive players.

Narrative players, their armies fit the lore. True narrative gamers don’t really care about who wins, they are interested in either telling a story, or having those “cool” moments. They have models painted to be lore accurate. The game is more like an RPG to them.

Competitive players want to win, it’s a game with rules and they want to make the right decisions to win the game. The models are not as important as the rules the models have. An extreme competitive player thinks in terms of rules rather than models. Some are more extreme than others; there may be some factions or models they stick to, but in general the goal is to win.

Casual players may want to win, but ultimately they want to have a fun experience. They take what they like or what they have painted, or they take themed lists because they look cool.

A barrier to competitive play is that the game is not a precise game like a board game or chess.

 	Using tape measures; will always be somewhat ambiguous. Competitive players at the highest levels try to be as precise as possible
 	Moving of models and line of sight; again, ambiguous. Competitive players talk about playing with intent.
 	Rules are complex and easy to forget/get wrong. Impossible to know what everything does unless that is all you do; a certain amount of trust that your opponent knows what they are doing. Competitive players require  you to provide proof when asked.

“Gotcha” moments and competitive play.

Bad habits of SOME competitive players:

 	* Winning outside of the game: charm, bullying, intimidation.
 	* Grey areas: misremembering the rules, etc.
 	* Not telling everything about what an army does.
 	* Not there to have a good time; they want to win.

Bad habits of SOME casual players;

 	* Don’t know the rules that well.
 	* Slow play.
 	* Sloppy or lazy play, not up to speed on the etiquette of the game.

Is there a place for all kinds of players at a singles event? What is the best way to accommodate all types of players?

Second Topic

We all have them, closets, shelves, and drawers filled with pieces and parts of half completed hobby projects. Sometimes you get an idea, for an army or a board of terrain, that you are sure will be awesome, but somewhere along the way you give up and abandon them.

Starting and ending a hobby project.

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Episode 95: Astra Militarum Part 1

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