Okay, the subject line really isn't fair. But I'll get to that. The painting workshop went well, and was packed. I didn't turn anybody into an instant Golden Demon winner, but several people made breakthroughs. My only regret is that we didn't have enough space. There were 20 of us crowded into two small banquet tables and one dinette table... we would have spread out, but there were RPGs running on every other table in the store. Next time we do this we'll schedule it all by itself, and we'll make sure that all the "master" painters (Drew, RJ, Ty, and maybe me) can sit and paint along with everyone else, so there are more demonstration cycles available. After the workshop Boyd, one of the new Warmachine players, asked me to come downstairs, because there was a game going on the one available table, and they needed a rules lawyer. It turned out there was room on the table for TWO games, so Boyd broke out his Menites, and he and I played a 500 point game, while I doubled as an expert for the game next-door. Here's where I'm torn... I want new players to have a good time, but I really can't bring myself to throw a game. Besides, when you're teaching the game it's helpful to actually USE all the cool tricks, stacks, buffs, spells, and feats, so that other players can see how it works. Right? But I feel bad. My Dire Troll Blitzer (the one with the cannon on his back) pot-shotted Boyd's cavalry which invited a charge. When the charging cavalry failed to kill him, he ate half their horses... including the one that Boyd was painting during the workshop. Then my Mauler pounded Boyd's "flagship" warjack (the Avatar of Menoth) into scrap in one round. And from there it was just a matter of preventing his increasingly lonely warcaster from potshotting and killing my warlock -- I've seen lots of games turn right at the end that way (I've dealt that sort of defeat out myself), and had no desire to fall victim to it. (As an aside, this is the third time my trolls have devoured someone's cavalry. Not having any cavalry of my own, I can't say how they're supposed to be used. I'm afraid, however, that I'm in for a rude awakening when somebody figures out how to NOT serve them up as iron-shod troll-chow.) Boyd was a great sport, and we had a good post-game discussion about tactics, and "where things went south." If his cavalry charge on my flank had been timed to arrive with his jacks on my front line, and if his caster had popped his feat on that round, I expect the trollkin would have been crushed. Conclusion... his forces were too staggered in their approach, and his feat came too late in the game. Also, he had some spells and abilities that would have made a big difference had he known to use them. Boyd, thanks for the game. Your horses look wonderful (and taste even better!)
