Well, it happened. My FLGS got in the Runewars Miniatures Game core set without me ordering it. It sounds like there is a bit of interest in the game. So armed with that knowledge and a coupon for 25 percent off one in-stock item, I'm probably going to actually get into the game. Now I just need to pick a faction to play.

All three revealed factions so far have models that I really like, and others that I'm lukewarm about. For gameplay, I'm confident FFG will do a good job of balancing the factions in the long run, so I'm not worried about power level.

So, in your opinion, which faction should I play and why?

Do you play other similar games? What factions/play-styles do you find yourself drawn to in those games?

I'm kind of stuck on picking a faction myself. I have a feeling that the Undead are going to fit how I like to play but I like the look of the Humans better.

Given that you're getting a core set now and that you aren't super invested in any one faction, I'd definitely choose one of the two core factions. You'll have access to their expansions earlier which will allow you to build up your army sooner.

Based on forum chatter, it sounds like the Daqan Lords (humans) are more straightforward to play compared to Waiqar the Undying (undead). If this is not going to be your main game, maybe the humans are a better choice.

Out of curiosity, which units do you like and which ones are you lukewarm about?

The only other miniatures games I play are Imperial Assault and Armada, which I think are different enough to not be particularly relateable to RWM.

FWIW, in Imperial Assault I favor squads split between efficient generic units (in my current list, elite Weequay Pirates) and unique specialists/heavy hitters (Bossk, Onar Koma, Vinto Hreeda). In Armada, I play Rebels (mostly because more of my friends wanted to play Imperials). My campaign list for that favors having a lot of ships, plus squadrons that are good both at attacking ships and fighting other squadrons.

I'm kind of weighing RWM factions model-by-model.

• Basic unit: Deepwood Archers, Reanimates, and Spearmen are all super generic, but they also look pretty good, aesthetically.
• Special unit: Oathsworn Cavalary and Leonx Riders are pretty neck-and-neck for me in terms of style. Which one I like more depends on which I'm looking at at that exact moment. Reanimate Archers aren't bad at all, but they kind of pale in comparison to those cavalry units.
• Monster: Again, I'm kind of torn between the Rune Golem and the Carrion Lancer for a favorite (that said, I like Sorastor's Carrion Lancer much more than the box art color scheme). In comparison, the Aymhelin Scion is just OK.
• Hero1: Ardus Ix'Erebus is my favorite of the boxed-set heroes. Kari Wraithstalker and Aliana of Summersong are about even for me. (Aliana would be higher, but at least in the announcement article for the elves, her leonx looks kind of dopey.)
• Hero2: Lord Hawthorne looks great, and Maegan Cyndewin is pretty cool, too. Ankaur Maro, on the other hand, doesn't inspire me at all.
• Upgrade figures: It isn't a big gap between any of them, but I would rank the Latari command figures first, followed by Daqan, then Waiqar.

4 hours ago, Leveton said:

The only other miniatures games I play are Imperial Assault and Armada, which I think are different enough to not be particularly relateable to RWM.

FWIW, in Imperial Assault I favor squads split between efficient generic units (in my current list, elite Weequay Pirates) and unique specialists/heavy hitters (Bossk, Onar Koma, Vinto Hreeda). In Armada, I play Rebels (mostly because more of my friends wanted to play Imperials). My campaign list for that favors having a lot of ships, plus squadrons that are good both at attacking ships and fighting other squadrons.

I'm kind of weighing RWM factions model-by-model.

• Basic unit: Deepwood Archers, Reanimates, and Spearmen are all super generic, but they also look pretty good, aesthetically.
• Special unit: Oathsworn Cavalary and Leonx Riders are pretty neck-and-neck for me in terms of style. Which one I like more depends on which I'm looking at at that exact moment. Reanimate Archers aren't bad at all, but they kind of pale in comparison to those cavalry units.
• Monster: Again, I'm kind of torn between the Rune Golem and the Carrion Lancer for a favorite (that said, I like Sorastor's Carrion Lancer much more than the box art color scheme). In comparison, the Aymhelin Scion is just OK.
• Hero1: Ardus Ix'Erebus is my favorite of the boxed-set heroes. Kari Wraithstalker and Aliana of Summersong are about even for me. (Aliana would be higher, but at least in the announcement article for the elves, her leonx looks kind of dopey.)
• Hero2: Lord Hawthorne looks great, and Maegan Cyndewin is pretty cool, too. Ankaur Maro, on the other hand, doesn't inspire me at all.
• Upgrade figures: It isn't a big gap between any of them, but I would rank the Latari command figures first, followed by Daqan, then Waiqar.

Sounds to me like you like daqan the most :). As a mainly daqan player, I can tell you the maneuvering and flexibility of daqan units is very fun. They just have more dial options than undead in general. I can see elves maybe beating them in that regard down the road.

However, neither elves nor undead with ever beat the daqan in terms of epic weapons. Have you seen the swords on the rune golem? The carrion lancer has a toothpick to fight with by comparison. The Scion just found some rock lying around. Pick daqan and you'll have a mass of enchanted rocks swinging man-sized swords at your enemies. You'll be like a lawn mower on a field of dandelions.

From a pure aesthetic standpoint, it sounds like you should go with Daqan. The Oathsworn and Rune Golems both make your cut for their set of units, meaning the only unit of theirs that didn't tie for best is Kari, and you like Hawthorne.

On top of that, it sounds like you might be into a list with one big block of spearmen to anchor several small cavalry squads as counter-charging hammers.

I'm not sure I can really give a gameplay breakdown between factions yet. Though my impressions after having only played a few and watched a few games:

Undead seem to be the "slow and steady" gameplay mechanics with some odd flavor sprinkled in. Reanimates look to be the most potentially aggravating tarpit unit, but they just sort of trudge at the opponent. I'm willing to wager that undead will be willing to cause damage at their own expense more than other factions. Individual units are less durable but can get back up.

Humans got stuck with the jack of all trades shtick that humans do in almost all fantasy writings. So they are gonna have a bit of everything. The spearmen can tank better than reanimates and are more resistant to banes, but do a bit less damage and don't get back up. They seem like a true combined arms army more than undead.

Elves look to to be the super mobile faction. Never seen them played or proxied. Probably the highest learning curve of available armies.

For myself, I fell in love with the leonx riders' mounts and dial. The skirmishing capabilities of the deepwood archers have me salivating. I can't wait to learn their obviously mobile style of play -- it sounds challenging and rewarding. The scions haven't really tickled my fancy much, but I'm open to the notion that they could see use as a utility/control type unit.

I'm already devising paint schemes.

Daqan definitely have flexibility on their side. Their dials come with good options, and allow you to approach a situation a number of ways. Their previewed upgrades also show some neat ways that you can tune a unit to fit a battlefield role. They don't have much specific synergy so far, just Lord Hawthorne handing out Inspiration and the Greyhaven Channeler to help the Rune Golems do their thing.

Waiqar on the other hand is all about synergy. Blight is their core mechanic, and without it they simply underperform. However, if you can protect your archers while getting mortal strikes on valuable targets they're very rewarding. Dials are not as well-rounded as Daqan, so you need to plan ahead and make sure your units support one another.

Latari are unreleased so obviously we can't know too much yet, but they have a clear mobility and positioning theme. If dictating the terms of engagement and using speed to stack the odds in your favour appeals to you, they're probably a good choice. They also have the closest thing we've seen so far to a pure crowd control unit in the Aymhelin Scions, so I'm imagining their units will be pretty specific tools.