Starting up AI for friends, input?

[Emurian]

So I recently sold off 3 MtG Gaea's cradles for 1000 euro and thus starting filling my basket for 40k stuff.

 

I now have around 200 euro's left and thus had the option to pickup some boxes of another army, or look at one of the specialist games.

 

Thus I ended up at the AI section and thought, why not, might be a side activity when my friendgroup is playing a bigger battle on the large table.

 

Did some reading on this forum, noted someone pointed out that the Tau faction in the skies on fire set are much better favored then the IG pointwise. 

So I ordered 2x a big of skies on fire to basically get 4 complete boxes of airplanes and 2 mats. I added a single box of thunderbolts due to what I read above.

My questions, 

 

-If money isn't to much of an issue, what would a reasonable balanced out force be of the 3 factions, assuming you use the 2x skies on fire box as starting point.
-There seems to be a book for AI, recommended to get this one? Is it like a codex for the released factions with some added missions?

-Should I aim to simply get 1 of each unit, or is it more logical to lets say wield 2 fighter units for every bomber as a ratio or something?

-There seem to be rumors floating around that Eldar is going to be released next. Can I somewhat assume that a faction gets released within a year of the announcement? Or might it still take ages before the models actually get released?

-Im reading the GW maps are 3x3 whereas the ideal tablesize is 4x4, is this correct? I saw some battlemats of other companies that can fix this problem. Another one they offer is a 6x4, seeing as there is a 15E difference between the 4 and 6 should I just opt for the 4x6 map?

-How many models are being used as a norm? Lets say compared to 40k its brackets, whats the model count equilavant of a 1k and 2k 40k battle? (so like a medium sized and medium to big battle)

-Any tips in the form off: I wish I knew this before I started AI?

-Any tips for a desert like colour scheme for the IG airplanes? (Think like brownish / kaki) I will follow the blue pattern for the Tau, most likely follow the red colour scheme for the orks. Then when Eldar if/is released I will make them Iyanden yellow/blue to have distinct colours per army. 

[Firedrake Cordova]

I can't help with the gaming questions (I'm sure someone who can will be along soon!), but I'll have a go at the others.

 

-There seems to be a book for AI, recommended to get this one? Is it like a codex for the released factions with some added missions?

The Taros Air War Campaign Book (also available as an e-book) has the full rules and a set of 6 missions, as well as the rules for the Taur aircraft and the new wave of Imperial aircraft. The Rynn's World Air War Campaign Book (now only available as an e-book ) also has the full rules and a set of 6 (differing) scenarios, along with the rules for the original Imperial aircraft, and the Ork fleet.

 

Note that the rules for the Thunderbolt and Marauder variants are not in the Taros book.

 

-Im reading the GW maps are 3x3 whereas the ideal tablesize is 4x4, is this correct? I saw some battlemats of other companies that can fix this problem. Another one they offer is a 6x4, seeing as there is a 15E difference between the 4 and 6 should I just opt for the 4x6 map?

If the cost difference is minimal, and the mat is easily foldable (or you can easily mask off the excess), personally, I'd go with the larger mat.

 

-Any tips in the form off: I wish I knew this before I started AI?

Don't make the mistake of thinking "small model = not a lot of details and quick to paint" if you want to paint the details.   You can do a good job with basecoat and washes (or just contrast paints) and careful drybrushing.

 

Depending on your eyesight, you may want a magnifying device.

 

-Any tips for a desert like colour scheme for the IG airplanes? (Think like brownish / kaki)

If you're looking for inspiration, Vallejo do a range of "Air War" paint sets, which cover WWII and modern aircraft colour schemes - there's a fair few desert options in there. You could then find the closest Citadel paints, or just get the Vallejo ones you want (just be aware, they're from the Model Air range, so are pre-thinned for airbrush usage).

 

Hmm ... Vallejo's site appears to be down at the moment, so I'll link to a random UK retailer's catalogue.

Edited September 29, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[klisof]

If it’s not too late, these are my thoughts on getting into AI.

 

For a starting force for Orks I would buy a box of dakka jets, a box of fighta bombers and a box of eavy bombers.

 

Generally, you average 2 aircraft for every 50 points depending on what airframes, ordnance and upgrades you take (for imperials costs range from an arvus at 10 points to a marauder destroyer with full ordnance load out at 35 points without touching upgrades).

 

You need to balance ordnance and upgrades Vs number of airframes, too few planes can make your force fragile but who doesn’t like letting rip a huge volley of air to air missiles turn 1?

 

It’s worth getting both campaign books just for the missions (and fluff!).

Missions in Taros are more complex than those in Rynns world with more special rules.

Rynns world missions are going to be easier for less experienced players and there is more of them.

 

Imperial Navy upgrades are the same in both books, thunderbolt rules can be found in the FAQ on the WarCom site as the points were increased. It's very easy to build the thunderbolts so you can switch the nose cone between standard and fury variants.

 

 

You will probably want a box of marauders or marauder destroyers for your imperials at some point, the lack of bombers limits your options for missions. The destroyer is more useful in my opinion as it is more multirole with all its firepower.

 

If everyone has a mix of fighters and bombers then each player should be able to be either the attacker or defender in the missions.

 

There are not TAC lists in AI as the list you build will depend on the mission, but if you look at mission requirements you will notice the same requirements are often repeated between different missions so a few standard lists can be used.

 

This is a summary of mission requirement from both books:

 

Rynns World book

 

• The Dogfight

25-250 points

Only scouts, fighters and bombers recommended

• Bandits over the River

25-100 points

Only scouts and fighters allowed

• The Straggler

50-150 points

Defender: any aircraft but must include one Bomber

Attacker: Scouts and Fighters only

• Search and Rescue

50-150 points

Defender: may take any force but must include at least one fighter.

Attacker: any aircraft, but must include 1 or more with a transport characteristic of 1 or higher. May not take ground defences.

• Garrison Relief

100-200 points

Defender: any force, but must include 1 or more aircraft with a transport characteristic of 1 or higher.

Attacker: any force, but must include at least one fighter and one bomber

• Troop Landing

100-250 points

Defender: any force, but must include at least one fighter and one ground defence

Attacker: must include 1 or more aircraft with a transport characteristic of 1 or higher. May not take scouts or ground defences

• Bombing Mission

100-200 points

Defender: any force, but must include at least one fighter and one ground defence.

Attacker: must include one or more aircraft with air-to-ground weapons, may not take scouts.

 

Taros Air War book

 

• The Dogfight

Same as Rynns World

• The Chase

25-250 points

Only scouts, fighters and bombers recommended

• Subterranean Assault

100-250 points

Defender: any force, but must include at least one fighter and one ground defence

Attacker: Must include 1 or more aircraft with a transport characteristic of 1 or higher. May not take scouts or ground defences

• Sky-Fortress Attack

100-250 points

Any forces for both attacker and defender

Defender had an additional 40 points to spend on ground defences for the sky fortress

• Canyon Attack Run

Defender: 50-150 points (50 points less than attacker), any force, but must include at least one fighter and one ground defence.

Attacker: 100-200 points, must include one or more aircraft with air-to-ground weapons, may not take scouts

Edited October 3, 2020 by klisof