If I can't play, I'll watch...

  Well, it turns out that I forgot to plan for a post today and I've got to come up with something extemporaneously.  And all this while I listen to Matt Mercer lead his party through a goblin town...  That made me think that I could write something about my RPGs, but I haven't had the opportunity to play in some time.  I've been scouring the blogosphere just looking for something to get excited about, but the conspiracies and exceptions to Star Trek, X-wing, and even some of those video games doesn't really do anything for me.  I've even pulled out some older games, like Heroquest, just to enjoy a short spat of nostalgia.  But again, nothing that I can randomly write about.  So what shall it be today?

  What about the state of 40k?  We recently finished with the largest tournament and the ITC circuit- crowning a new champion until next 'season'.  Everyone seems to have an opinion on the game after that and it's not often positive.  I want to respond every time and remind people that it's a game and that there are plenty of other boxes on the shelf if 40k is so bad.  But I find that gamer-nerds are obstinate at best (remember that I'm one of them, so I speak from a position of authority- proving that very point!) and my opinions will do nothing to shift theirs when we disagree.  You all know that I LOVE this edition of the game, so I'm not going to waste time trying to prove it.  As we can see, that almost got me excited enough to post about it, but it still wasn't enough.  So what next?

  Ooooh, I know!  While I get to play 40k almost every week (it's good having a captive audience- the family!), I still like to watch other people playing as well.  It's not only a way to learn tactics, but also to learn about armies that you may not play.  Better, it gives a great understanding of how others feel about the game.  As I mentioned above, many gamers out there seem to hate 40k and that makes no sense to me.  So watching others enjoy this game as much as I do is always a welcome plus.  Here's what I'm going to do- I'm going to list all the sites that I typically watch battle reports from so that you can enjoy them too.

Guerilla Miniature Games

  This is the site for someone I know personally- Ash.  He used to work for the Emprah like I did and he knows his stuff.  Ash invites buddies over and plays all kinds of games.  My favorite part is that he also brings out some of the 'oldies' and plays them as well.  For us old and crotchety gamers that have done this for a few decades, it's nice to see some of those long-forgotten gems.  Also, Ash's production quality is outstanding! 

Miniwargaming
  Our neighbors to the north (WAY north of where I live) also happen to do a fantastic job.  Matt, Steve, and the rest of the boys are very energetic and not altogether the most refined gaming group.  They may get a rule or tactic wrong here and there, but they have beautifully-painted models and terrain and they aren't trying to break the game when they play.  In fact, Steve is my favorite by far as his enthusiasm is downright contagious. 

Mountain Miniatures Gaming
  Speaking of Steve, he's got his own channel and still takes advantage of his connections with MWG.  Fantastic models, terrain, and oodles of excitement over every die roll makes these battle reports great to watch!  He knows his rules very well and is very good at explaining things to his opponent without sounding condescending.  He's just too much fun to miss out every week. 

The Long War
  If you're looking for higher-end competition and a bit of machismo, then this is the site to visit.  In fact, my son is a 'Veteran' (meaning that he's a paid subscriber) and gets tons of cool access and even some baubles for signing up and staying a member.  Kenny, Rob, and the rest of the guys are obviously very focused on this and even have a weekly podcast that can illuminate much of the tactics and ambiguous rules for gamers that aren't the rulers of their local 'meta'. 

Critical Role
  This is a bit non-sequitor, but I'm a D&D player deep underneath the grimdark armor and I have to get my RPG fix once in a while.  I've been listening to Matt for years (he even looks like me and my brother, but with longer hair and no glasses- that's a handsome fellow!) and he does what I do.  In fact, he and I share the same DM style (we're talking voices, acting, deep-dive stories, and even props from the party!) and that makes me love watching him even more.  And the group he plays with is... odd, which only makes it better. 

Frontline Gaming
  Getting back to the minis and grimdark, this is a group that was specifically involved in the development of the current game.  Reece, Frankie, and the rest of the boys were tapped by GW for playtesting and design and their impressions bring that background to the fore.  They understand the principles behind some of the rules designs and they are also highly competitive.  Looking for authoritative opinions (with some negative thrown in so it's not obvious that they're stumpers for the evil empire) or unique insight in 40k will bring you to these guys. 

The Basement Collective
  These two brothers are absolutely what I think this hobby could use more of.  They NEVER complain about the rules of the game (despite one of the brothers losing hugely when he does), care more about the models and the terrain, and generally just enjoy the gaming aspect of it.  They constantly try to entice people to subscribe to the channel with great prizes from tons of different miniatures companies, but I don't even think it's necessary.  These brothers illustrate the enjoyment of gaming more than anyone else on the interwebs, and it shows. 

Tabletop Tactics
  The best!!!  Spider, Bone, Stig, and Beard are all amazing!  The British lads spend a great deal of time getting ready for their weekly 'free view' battle reports and do much more for subscribers.  They are also partnered with GW (although I'm not sure that they were playtesters like the guys listed above) and so get everything just a bit early, which leads to batreps or podcasts that are just as useful as educational tools.  They know their stuff and Spider brings a sense of dignity to the group that is missing on many channnels.  Better, their battle reports are so much fun that I find myself yelling, crying, laughing, and screaming right along with them.  Best, they are competitive OR fluffy, and they'll let you know just how their armies could be built for tournaments.  It doesn't matter if you are a hardcore gamer or a beer-and-pretzels type, this group gets both!

  In case you can't tell, I watch lots of battle reports.  It's a great way to procrastinate from schoolwork (which I have no more of- woohoo!) or housework or even hobbying, especially if the batrep is that engaging.  My tournament-oriented buddy even watches many of these while hobbying, because you don't have to watch to learn.  Sometimes, just hearing is enough...

  While I have major problems with the excessive hateraid for this game, these are the sites that restore my faith in gamers.  If there's only one channel that I would suggest to watch for battle reports and tactical advise, it yould have to be TTT (Tabletop Tactics).  But every one of the sites I listed above has their charms and attractions, and some are even better at tactics or production value.  I can tell you that TTT is my favorite for sure.  Check them out and let me know what you think or if you have any sites that you frequent. 

Happy Gaming!