What do you look for in a battle report?

[Beaky Brigade]

TBH I used to watch long battle reports, but I don't have time any more. The ultimate thing for me would be some sort of cinematic experience, a sort of best of both worlds of the written and video battle report, perhaps using visually enhanced photography that gives the static figures a kind of life (sort of what GW does with the art in their videos). The game would be more like a RPG or historical re fight, with most of the action carefully decided on, but a chance for random elements deciding the outcome. Little or no screen time of the actual players and game mechanics, and high quality minis and terrain as a given. The effect would be like a sort of audio visual version of reading an Imperial Armour or Horus Heresy black book...

 

One can dream!

[Panzer]

I don't watch batreps. Why? Because none of them so far have what I feel a batrep should have. (Caveat: those I have tried. Still on the lookout!)

 

There's a sliding scale of batrep, a spectrum if you will, of what it's for and why people are watching it. BatRep, short for Battle Report, actually sums it up: There are those there for the Battle(fun), and those there for the Report(info).

 

The Battle(fun) side of the scale are those in it for rule of cool. They want to watch the dice rolling. They want to see the models.

The Report(info) is side of the scale is the details. Why this unit, why that tactic, how efficient was this maneuver.

 

Each, and their mixes, are totally valid. But above all, those making the BatReps? Should know their audience. THey should be aware of which side of the spectrum they're catering to. Many don't.

 

For myself, I'm more on the 'Report' side. I want all the info. The details. I don't really watch BatReps because the one thing I really want to see in a BatRep isn't done: "We rolled for XYZ unit's shots, and should have seen about 50% hit, with X number of wounds... We got Y. 123% below average."

I want to see this because it would go a LONG way to helping peole see the inherent flaws and differences between Mathhammer and Experience right there side by side. It would help people learn to see that tabletop tactics has a tangible and very real effect on Mathhammer.

 

... I babbled opinion on the internet. >.>;

 

I agree, however it seems you're even further away from the middleground of Battle and Report ... you're in the small Analysis corner nobody pays attention to. :D

[Mileposter]

I agree, however it seems you're even further away from the middleground of Battle and Report ... you're in the small Analysis corner nobody pays attention to. :D

I am, but only in so far as a BatRep goes. When I'm playing I'm more a beer and pretzels guy. My time in the competitive scene is long behind me.

 

BatReps should be educational. Let them go into the deep analysis - so you don't have to! Let them showcase the relationship between math and tactics - so that more people can be better players!

 

Otherwise, why spend my time watching someone else have fun when I could instead go have that fun myself?

[Panzer]

 

BatReps should be educational. Let them go into the deep analysis - so you don't have to! Let them showcase the relationship between math and tactics - so that more people can be better players!

 

Otherwise, why spend my time watching someone else have fun when I could instead go have that fun myself?

 

 

Why watch sports if you could play yourself? Why watch gaming streams if you could play yourself? Why watch TV at all instead of doing stuff? Because it's fun obviously. And so Batreps shouldn't be anything except for fun. How each person defines that is up to the person in question.

[Ishagu]

1: Fully painted armies

2: Nice terrain

3: Evenly balanced match-ups

4: Strong but true to the lore armies

5: Well filmed and edited

6: Good, charismatic hosts

 

I used to like MWG but their videos got more sloppy and they show far too much dice rolling. Could focus more on the table, armies and condense the videos. Also, too much imbalance between lists.

 

TTT are decent but perhaps longwinded. Striking Scorpion is good to watch but his scenic terrain - although stunning to look at - is often inadequate in terms of LOS blocking. Long War are great but I'd recommend becoming a Veteran as you really miss the breakdown and discussion post game.

 

Funny enough, Frontline Gaming did a few batreps recently (just after custodes release for the most recent one) that were very well edited, just the right length, well presented and with good banter. Unfortunately they haven't done any since that as it isn't the most cost effective use of their resources :-(

[Mileposter]

 

BatReps should be educational. Let them go into the deep analysis - so you don't have to! Let them showcase the relationship between math and tactics - so that more people can be better players!

 

Otherwise, why spend my time watching someone else have fun when I could instead go have that fun myself?

 

Why watch sports if you could play yourself? Why watch gaming streams if you could play yourself? Why watch TV at all instead of doing stuff? Because it's fun obviously. And so Batreps shouldn't be anything except for fun. How each person defines that is up to the person in question.

 

I don't watch sports because I'd rather play them myself, I prefer playing the games instead of watching a stream of it, and I don't watch TV at all. Obviously it's up to the person in question - people make their own decisions - and so I was explaining it for me, nothing more.

 

I disagree about the "shouldn't be anything but fun", but that gets into more of a philosophy thing. I believe that everything - including entertainment - should be bettering you in some way. Help you be a better thinker. Help fine tune your reflexes. Help increase your dexterity. Help you better control your emotions. Something. That's just my expectation of humans, though. Nothing to be bothered about.

[chapter master 454]

Echo to some Common points:

Good Terrain and Fully painted armies. Don't need to be amazing jobs but at least "Done".

 

There are many methods of showing a BatRep, you can have a video coupled with time stamps for those who just want to see certain things. In terms of video production, best to go full on with it, turn by turn with player interview sort of thing. Takes effort to make a video so just go ham with it.

 

As for written reports you can make two versions, the shorthand and longhand versions.

 

In my opinion I like the player breakdown of their army and tactics they intend so I like longer reports.

[Panzer]

Oh yeah time stamps for videos are very recommended. Many people still don't use them for some reason. A time stamp for each turn would already be plenty.

[Claws and Effect]

I prefer written batreps over video, with photos of crucial parts of the battle (i.e. where units were in relation to each other when something happened that swung the battle a certain way).

 

I tend to give high marks to batreps that make an effort to be entertaining rather than just a dry rattling off of what happened.

 

A dramatic or humorous in-character account from one of the participants of the battle is a definite plus. For example: How did the Tactical squad sergeant react to killing a carnifex with his bare hands? (actually happened in a game last week. He got a purity seal and now has a power fist)

[Preliminary Bombardment]

Currently enjoying SEO Winters, TTT and Tabletop assault.

[Mileposter]

A dramatic or humorous in-character account from one of the participants of the battle is a definite plus. For example: How did the Tactical squad sergeant react to killing a carnifex with his bare hands? (actually happened in a game last week. He got a purity seal and now has a power fist)

That reminds me of something else I haven't seen yet in a Battle Report... An entirely in-universe BatRep. That could be unique and interesting.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

It really bothers me when people get the rules wrong and it ends up drastically changing the game - this happens too often on MWG so I stopped watching them. A relatively new channel I like is Hellstorm gaming. I like Long War but they have no narrative element whatsoever. I watch SS82 but wow he really cheats his brother James and can be a jerk in general. My favorites are Glacial Geek, Tabletop Tactics and SEO Winters (in no particular order).

[Claws and Effect]

 

A dramatic or humorous in-character account from one of the participants of the battle is a definite plus. For example: How did the Tactical squad sergeant react to killing a carnifex with his bare hands? (actually happened in a game last week. He got a purity seal and now has a power fist)

That reminds me of something else I haven't seen yet in a Battle Report... An entirely in-universe BatRep. That could be unique and interesting.

Maybe I'll do one if I play a game at home that isn't completely one-sided.

 

Eisenhorn leading a Deathwatch detachment with Raven Guard allies against Hive Fleet Gemhide could be a neat story.

 

(Gemhide is my wife's custom Hive Fleet. She based each unit type on a different type of gemstone. It's pretty striking on the tabletop).

[templargdt]

1: Fully painted armies

2: Nice terrain

3: Evenly balanced match-ups

4: Strong but true to the lore armies

5: Well filmed and edited

6: Good, charismatic hosts

 

I used to like MWG but their videos got more sloppy and they show far too much dice rolling. Could focus more on the table, armies and condense the videos. Also, too much imbalance between lists.

 

TTT are decent but perhaps longwinded. Striking Scorpion is good to watch but his scenic terrain - although stunning to look at - is often inadequate in terms of LOS blocking. Long War are great but I'd recommend becoming a Veteran as you really miss the breakdown and discussion post game.

 

Funny enough, Frontline Gaming did a few batreps recently (just after custodes release for the most recent one) that were very well edited, just the right length, well presented and with good banter. Unfortunately they haven't done any since that as it isn't the most cost effective use of their resources :-(

This, but also please, no cursing or other related buffoonery.  A professional product.

[Canadian_F_H]

 

 

1: Fully painted armies

2: Nice terrain

3: Evenly balanced match-ups

4: Strong but true to the lore armies

5: Well filmed and edited

6: Good, charismatic hosts

 

I used to like MWG but their videos got more sloppy and they show far too much dice rolling. Could focus more on the table, armies and condense the videos. Also, too much imbalance between lists.

 

TTT are decent but perhaps longwinded. Striking Scorpion is good to watch but his scenic terrain - although stunning to look at - is often inadequate in terms of LOS blocking. Long War are great but I'd recommend becoming a Veteran as you really miss the breakdown and discussion post game.

 

Funny enough, Frontline Gaming did a few batreps recently (just after custodes release for the most recent one) that were very well edited, just the right length, well presented and with good banter. Unfortunately they haven't done any since that as it isn't the most cost effective use of their resources :-(

This, but also please, no cursing or other related buffoonery. A professional product.

Ishagu, your list is spot on.

 

1 and 2 are an absolute. If not then why bother doing a video batter imo.

 

3 well. Yeah but you can't always tell before hand.

 

4 is pretty close for me. I am a fan of the setting, I would only want to see a lore accurate army, no WAAC nonsense for me. If I wanted WAAC I wouldn't even have anything to do with this hobby.

 

5 and 6 just goes for any video production, I'd never consciously think about it, but if they fail on these accounts I'm gonna drop it in the well.

 

As for cursing and buffoonery. Im prone to buffoonery and cursing is my native language unfortunately. But it all erks me in professional settings so I definitly get that, and I didn't even realize until you said it that I feel the same way.