Well, I wade in after over 100 replies, and probably having nothing to say that will make any difference... but here's my two-pence on the whole 2 World Eater Lists issue...
Firstly, as someone who IS very much interested in having an Epic World Eaters Army, I would like to thank both Dobbsy and Frogbear for their efforts in keeping the development of the World Eaters in Epic very much ongoing and 'in people's faces - in so much as both lists are always at the top of discussion in the EA Chaos sub-forum.
At this point I have to give specific request to Frogbear, for the way in which he has consistently shared his play-testing feedback and thoughts with each game he has played. What this has done for me, significantly, is to convince me that the 4 Cult-centred Chaos Megions (WE, DG, TS, EC) CAN potentially be the source of a blanced and most importantly
competitive army list. Prior to this I simply saw them as a fun, 'messing around' list, good for games with mates, but no way they could be used in a tourney type scenario. Frogbear's efforts, however, have convinced me otherwise - even though I acknowledge that it may be some way before a WE list can be used in Tourneys...
Anyway, although I haven't been able to contribute to the development of EITHER WE list, I have been watching them with great interest, as about 18 months ago I started painting an Epic WE army, using the list that Lord I had started work on.
I then put this army to one side, and didn't have time to visit these forums, so when I returned last summer there had been some significant changes - there were now two lists. Over time I followed them, and since Apoc made his Cutlery Monsters and Copper Arachnids, adapted my army to the changes.
Then, a few weeks ago, at the end of Jan I think it was, I sat down and looked at both lists. Whilst I prefered most of the rules and stats as per Frogbear's list, I prefered the structure of Dobbsy's list, as it fitted in more with the way I'd assembled my army, something I had done by and large to respect the 'fluff' and 'feel' of the WE, whilst keeping the simplicity certain formation structures (not to say that Frogbear's list hasn't done this either).
It was then that it occurred to me that, as a potential WE player, I would prefer to have just ONE World Eaters list. I wondered then if it was time to do some work to merge the two lists. However, I did not put my thoguhts down on here as I realised that it would create a certain amount of controversy - probably not my place to generate!
Having read through this thread, I am glad that there is some kind of resolution being worked through.
If, at the end of the day, we have two 'flavours' of WE list, then as a gamer I would be satisfied with this as it would allow me to choose which list I want to use to form my army.
The way I see it, that's what army lists should do - otherwise, you end up with every army of a certain faction being exactly the same!
As an example, taking the issue of long-range shooting units in the WE. I'm afraid that I agree with Frogbear that the fluff and image of World Eaters doesn't really support them having fire support marines.
HOWEVER, at the same time, as a player, I realise the need for balance and flexibility in army creation, so from that end I can see why some WE players would want this kind of unit/formation.
It's not
my place to say whether a WE list
SHOULD have this kind of unit. What I am saying is that, imho, army lists should provide players the
choice to field this kind of unit if they want to.
As an example, I'm not a fan of the current Death Guard list as you HAVE to combine Plague Marines with Nurgle worshipping 'normal marines' (note: this is a sweeping generalisation for the sake of brevity, and not meant to denigrate the developer's list in anyway!). I don't like this because, being a fluff/background obsessive, I'd prefer to have a pure Plague Marine army.
However, I can understand from the perspective of playability and balance, why the decision has been made to do the Plague Marine army in this manner.
Sorry, I digressed a bit there. Ultimately, I hope that the WE issue is sorted soon, simply so I know I have list that I can make the army
I want from. It might give me the boot up the backside to finish painting that army, too...
). There is definitely a different feel to the 2 lists..
