Anyone interested in playing/learning 40K online using Vassal?

I just got started getting back in to 40k again with the new 6th edition rules and was looking for someone who might be interested in playing over vassal. I was thinking we'd start out slow (maybe just a few squads) and then work our way up to 500 points and beyond. If you're unfamiliar with Vassal or with 40K, I'd be willing to teach what I can. If there's enough interest, we could even do some sort of league or campaign play!

I'd certainly be interested. Some of the new models look incredible and I've thought about getting back into it but would want to play with the new rules first.

Cool! Well, at least I have one person to play. What army are you thinking? I've got my eye on Tau, but to be honest, I could see myself playing almost all of them!

I'd be interested! I just know nothing about how to play it online.

My big issue has always been with the price tags for buying and painting squads. It's a huge initial investment.

I've always wanted to play so I'm at least interested.

LiquidMantis wrote:

I've always wanted to play so I'm at least interested.

This. I have a Tau army.

Cool. Great to have some interest here. I'll let this simmer a bit to see if we get anymore, but in the meantime, start thinking about what army you're interested in.

If someone wants to hop in and give it a shot tonight, PM me. Girlfriend went home early tonight, so I am a free man and can try to walk you through vassal.

Played a little bit back in 4th ed. 6th looks interesting to me just due to the allies rules and such. So for sure interested.

Liiiiink please.

I would be interested as well.

What is necessary to do this? I have no experience or existing equipment for 40k but this thread has ignited some interest.

So I played up until 4th ed. But I've never used Vassal. If some one is willing to learn that software with me, I don't mind teaching Warhammer (once I get caught up on new rules.)

I have WH Fantasy, GW Lord of the Rings, and (most recently) and Cygnar Warmachine army but nothing in 40K. Do any of you guys ever try any of those over Vassal or just looking for 40K?

Tkyl wrote:

So I played up until 4th ed. But I've never used Vassal. If some one is willing to learn that software with me, I don't mind teaching Warhammer (once I get caught up on new rules.)

Sign me up.

Tykl (or anyone else) PM me if you need help setting up and getting the software going.

Thanks for taking the initiative, Fogrob. Looks like there is a lot of interest.

No problem! It was kinda boring just having to play with myself...er...uh...

I set up a google doc so we can try to get things organized. If there's anything else I need to add to it, let me know and I'll get it fixed. Just a heads up, if possible a dual monitor set-up makes things a lot better when playing.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...

I never heard of Vassal. Just watched some youtube videos and did some googling. Looks like Vassal is a tabletop game simulator. There are modules you use for each different game. There seems to be thousands of modules. It doesn't look there is any game logic built in, meaning there is nothing stopping you from making illegal moves just like in real life. However, every move is logged so the other people playing will know if you done something bad assuming they know the move is bad. Fox example if you roll a three in monopoly there is nothing stopping you from moving 30 spaces instead of 3.

And oh goody it looks like x-wing miniature game is one of the modules.

Got everything downloaded but not installed yet. Still debating armies. I've played Orks, Eldar and Marines in the past.

I'm usually available after 6PM CST if someone needs a run through.

I've got a paint night tonight and board game meet up but should be free Wednesday.

thejustinbot wrote:

I've got a paint night tonight and board game meet up but should be free Wednesday.

Tentative plans for 6:30 CST Wednesday then?

If you guys got any rules questions or anything I'd be glad to help out. I'm a pretty active 40k player (1-2 games a week, sometimes I go to tournaments). I play Dark Eldar and Blood Angels, so I know them the most. But we got a pretty good mix of all the armies at my club, so I know most of them pretty well.

Oh wow.... this sort of thing exists? I sold off my Tau and Dark Eldar years ago because the hobby was getting too expensive.... but online - with a software solution? Wow.

Barab wrote:

If you guys got any rules questions or anything I'd be glad to help out. I'm a pretty active 40k player (1-2 games a week, sometimes I go to tournaments). I play Dark Eldar and Blood Angels, so I know them the most. But we got a pretty good mix of all the armies at my club, so I know most of them pretty well.

I have one concerning cover Barab. Let's say that a marine is standing behind, but not in, ruins (out of the area terrain). Another unit has LOS to him but he does have the 25% concealment. What is the cover save he receives? And is it different depending on what he's standing behind? For some reason, this one stumped me.

fogrob wrote:
thejustinbot wrote:

I've got a paint night tonight and board game meet up but should be free Wednesday.

Tentative plans for 6:30 CST Wednesday then?

Works for me. Should give me time to sort out a faction too.

I got your PM, Fogrob. Thanks. What do we need to get started? Should we grab a rulebook, decided on race and get that race book? I have some stuff from WH:F (but never played), I think that's how it worked anyway. Unfortunately I can't make this Wednesday. Are you guys thinking PBEM or mostly realtime?

LiquidMantis wrote:

I got your PM, Fogrob. Thanks. What do we need to get started? Should we grab a rulebook, decided on race and get that race book? I have some stuff from WH:F (but never played), I think that's how it worked anyway. Unfortunately I can't make this Wednesday. Are you guys thinking PBEM or mostly realtime?

I would recommend getting the rulebook and the codex for whatever race interests you. Unfortunately they can be expensive. The rulebook costs about $75 alone. If you're not sure about which race you want to play, we could probably create small armies for you to play and pass along the important rules so you can test drive races out before committing to buying the codex.

The starter box set (with Chaos and Dark Angels) comes with a nice little softcover rulebook. It has everything the big hardcover has except for background fluff. A lot of 40k folks like to buy the starter box just for the models and sell the rest on ebay. If you search for "dark vengeance rulebook" you might be able to score one for a reasonable price.

Cover got a little bit more complicated in 6e because of the new wound allocation. So you determine cover on a per-model basis instead of the whole unit like in previous editions.

So your example - the marine would have a cover save because he is behind some ruins that conceal roughly 25% of the model. Ruins are a 4+. It does depend on the source of the cover. For example, if he's covered by another friendly unit or even one of your units, it's a 5+ save. In the terrain section of the rulebook it usually lists out the cover save for particular terrain pieces... most are 5+, I think just ruins and defensive walls are the exception with a 4+

When playing online, obviously you'll have to use a simplified method to determine cover, as you're not playing in 3 dimensions with plastic figures. I'd imagine you'd just determine if a model has cover or not if the 2d line of sight passes through intervening terrain or other models.

I think real time might be the best option, but we could save games so it wouldn't have to be a 3 or 4 hour session. I was thinking about just running a squad or two for tutorial purposes, just to demonstrate the program. Once we all get up and going, figured we could start out at 500 pts and then go up from there?

BTW, here's a nice free army builder for folks to use. http://www.battlescribe.net/

I'm off today due to weather, so if someone wants a run through, just send me a PM.