"Orcs & Animosity" Topic

When working on the Orcs & Gobbos codex for Warhammer, the Animosity Rule was reexamined:

This was the subject of much debate amongst the games developers and something that Jervis and I worked hard to make sure we were happy with. As Jervis puts it, we want Animosity to reflect the Orcish ways, but still be even handed…

Are you satisfied with the way the Animosity Rule currently works?

Yes, sometimes it helps, usually it doesn't. If you are looking for an ueber-army that will win every game, Orcs should not be your choice; for character and fun they can't be beat!

Yes. It's part of the fun that comes with an all goblin army. I do miss when they might shoot at their neighboring units if they failed, though.

Yes, I think it is just right in this version.

Since I am not familiar with the rules "animosity" is used with. Can someone explain what the rule was and how it has changed?

Yes, what has changed for this version?

I am of the mind one really cannot mess with "racial" rules (like Animosity) unless you reconfigure the points costs for the races of models/units it affects and additionally the points cost of models that counter/resolve/mitigate the effects of that rule.

"even handed…"

Why is that even a consideration? Disadvantages figure in to points costs just as much as advantages. Being, "even handed," by altering or doing away with something because it affects one and not the other army is the way of vanilla, dull, mirror armies facing one another. No thanks.

Yes, like Delthos I feel it is just right in this version.

Barenakedleadies, Animosity is an army rule for Orcs & Goblins to reflect how unruly they are and how hard to general. At the start of a player's turn, he rolls for each unit that meets a size threshold. There is a 1/6 chance its Animosity affects it this turn. That rule has been the same for several editions.

What's changed with this edition is the chart of possible results that is rolled on. It used to be most of the time the unit squabbles and did nothing (or that is my impression as I didn't play the army in those days). This edition, there is a 4/6 chance of a squabble result, but if an enemy is in charge range, they'll charge, which presumably the player would have wanted, so this result really just penalizes the overly cautious player that is hanging his units back … which from a roleplaying standpoint, is "un-Orcy".

Another result is 1/6 chance of free agressive move toward an enemy and then charging if in range; the free move helps due to the new variable distance charge rules, so this is an advantage as long as the player wanted them to charge. If not in range, well, see my comment above, but they move forward toward the enemy so at least they aren't stuck doing nothing.

The last result is a 1/6 chance to pick a fight with the next nearest friendly unit with a game result of the two units each taking wounds. But in 8th editions units tend to be quite large so this is rarely a gamebreaker, and not only does this fit from a roleplaying standpoint but besides, is truly funny.

Damn! I thought this was going to be another "Sense and Sensibility" alternate fan fiction …

Having accidentally played the Orcs once without animosity, I can see how they would be a real steamroller in WFB. I normally push Dwarves or Skaven so to me at the time, it was just another army!

I admit that once I started playing them the "right way", their character emerged and much like the Skaven, it made them even more fun.
Larry