Questions to get into the game

[Ronald Delval]

Greetings all,

I was interested into getting into the game.Partially for solo play and the occassional game against a player that does not have an army.I moved away from the local store so getting regular games in stopped being an option altogether.

I have a great many questions for you guys but first a few statements that may clarify some hesitance I have for just randomly picking up the starters:

A few preferences:

1. I adore the Ghar despite their complexity it is the army I’d probably enjoy painting and collecting the most.
2. I adore the Algoryn but far less than the Ghar. But their armor design and background makes them the 2nd most appealing to me.
3. I’m actually not big on the Concord. They seem bland. Their background doesn’t appeal to me. And their armor is not that cool. Though I’ve seen the awesome guys from Tabletopwarlords field them with white/blue which does make them visually far more appealing than I expected.

Addendum: 4) I’d love to focus on 500-750pt forces. No tanks and the likes. Except for say a cannon or a Ghar Walker / Command Scorpion thingy.

Now for my questions:

1. Which starter do you guys recommend? And why?
2. I read that the first starter is very imbalanced?
3. Is it worth doubling up on the 2nd starter box pitting Algoryn vs Concord?
4. About the initial purchases. To turn either starter box into a balanced force with a bit more ‘spice’ added, what would you add and why? Since i’ll supply both armies, i’d like balance between both forces.
5. The dice. The starters both come with action dice. I presume I’ll need to buy a seperate faction dice pack if I add to either army from any of the starter boxes?
6. I love campaigns, background, fluffy scenario’s. For Ghar and Algoryn are there any expansion books that give a lot of ‘bang for your buck’ in that regard?
7. How interesting is Ghar Empire vs Ghar Outcast? How well does this work? And what purchases would you guys recommend for a balanced 750 pts on each side? (including dice/dicepacks?)

Many thanks for any and all feedback!!!

• This topic was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Ronald Delval.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Ronald Delval.

[Zac]

Which starter do you guys recommend? And why?

If I was to get one of the current starters it would be the Strike on Kar’A Nine starter. I don’t think that the original one was very balanced or really that much fun. I would actually look at getting one or more of the army boxes. They cost more but you get a better selection of models and you can then pick which forces you want.

I read that the first starter is very imbalanced?

I wouldn’t say very but it wasn’t a lot of fun.

Is it worth doubling up on the 2nd starter box pitting Algoryn vs Concord?

You do need a few standard units for the basis of an army so it works from that perspective but the army boxes usually have two infantry units as well as a support weapon and a skimmer or something similar. They build better armies.

About the initial purchases.

The army boxes have the goodies you want already. I would also like to add that a new version of Antares is in the works. Covid 19 has certainly slowed down or delayed the release but at this point I wouldn’t invest in print copies of the rulebook.

The dice. The starters both come with action dice. I presume I’ll need to buy a seperate faction dice pack if I add to either army from any of the starter boxes?

Yes. The dice are the same ones as they use in Bolt Action and Warlords of Erehwon so any dice for those games or from a BOlt Action starter set will work as well.

I love campaigns, background, fluffy scenario’s. For Ghar and Algoryn are there any expansion books that give a lot of ‘bang for your buck’ in that regard?

All of the expansion books for Antares have been written to include all of the factions. They all have a lot of fiction in them and the scenarios are written to be part of the campaign narrative. The Battle for Xilos book does have the Ghar Rebel army in it as well as a bit of fluff for it. I don’t know if Warlord is currently selling the older expansions though

How interesting is Ghar Empire vs Ghar Outcast?

The Ghar Rebels have a rule called “Fifth Column” that you can use to allow for the Rebel forces to take control of Ghar Empire units that fail activation rolls. Both sides are pretty much immune to the effects of Plasma disruption though so while the games can be fun you miss out on some of the impact of the Ghar Disruptor tech.

And what purchases would you guys recommend for a balanced 750 pts on each side?

While I am not sure if they build 750 point forces, I would suggest getting one of each of the army boxes and a set of dice. Plus a digital copy of the rulebook. I’ve not really had any balance issues with the game except at lower point values.

If you want a ‘fluffy’ game then go with the Algoryn and the Ghar Empire or Rebels. I have a fondness for the Rebels myself since I love the Black Guard infantry and the support weapon platforms. The Algoryn have been fighting the Ghar for centuries and were the first faction to run into them so battle between them fit into the background very well

[Ronald Delval]

Many thanks. That answered a lot of questions.
I’ll invest in the starter armies I think and see if the new edition pops up next year.

Are Ghar Empire / Ghar Rebels equal in difficulty to master or is one easier than the other?

I do agree with the Black Guard. I love their look as well. On the other hand the Empire can field so much more Suits. 🙂

[Tim Bancroft]

Due to production/print lead times, V2 will be at least 6-9 months from the end of any CoViD furlough, which now means mid-2021 at the earliest.  So buying the Kar’A Nine starter might be great if you want to run with Algoryn or Concord or want relatively chap access to the rulebook and templates. The K9 box originally had the mini-rulebook but now has the full-size one normally when ordered from Warlord or when the latest version is bought.  Mind you, Xilos Horizon has two full squads of Ghar suits plus the C3 (and I actually found it a lot of fun and it’s how I really bit into the game).

Otherwise, run as Zac suggested: get a starter then an army box for the faction(s) you really want rather than 2×Kar’A Nine.

The Antares Nexus might also help as it has a getting started section: https://www.gatesofantares.com/category/resources/getting-started/. There is also a Rules section with latest and regularly updated FAQs, rules amendments, etc.

As for Rebels vs Empire:  Rebels have a few more special rules to handle over that of the Empire but not many. They can be awkward to play for newcomers as the squads have so many options and different weapons and the model count is higher.  I’d recommend using the latest Games Day rules mods on the Nexus.

[Zac]

Are Ghar Empire / Ghar Rebels equal in difficulty to master or is one easier than the other?

They both have their issues. The Empire will have fewer activations until they start to use their Amplifiers. The Rebels have fewer suits and more activations but their troops are squishier.

[Ronald Delval]

Thank you for the feedback guys.

Still not 100% sure what i’ll do but you guys gave me a lot of food for thoughts!!!

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