The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread

[Diakon]

If it all goes well I hope they consider doing something similar with 4ok too. One of my biggest gripes with modern 40k is the amount of miniatures I have to transport across to my friends house on games night.

As an example my friend recently fielded a blood angels army which included of 4 ten man Tactical squads. At 1500 points. In the old days of 2nd edition (where I started) a ten man Tactical Squad was a solid rock to build your army around. And that would be at 3000 points. A 3000 point Space Marine army would probably consist of 40-50 models. About the same amount of models would cost you 800-900 points now.

[Momotaro]

'Cos we've all heard the rumours that 9th ed is going to be a skirmish game set in various bubble universes, but I've just read a loong sneak peek that, while still just a rumour (with a bit of reliable backup), brings home just how drastic the changes might be. .

You know, the new game doesn't sound bad at all from that post.  Full stats for existing units, hopefully a solid ruleset underneath it all, who knows?  Could be good...

Some really stupid names in there though, and waaaay too much fluff - I can do that myself thank you!

ANd as you said, bugger all to do with the past 30 years of WFB...

[Major_Gilbear]

Well games size (number of models) is clearly an issue... In 40k I can field an complete battle company of marines for 1850pts!

The other issue I've increasingly noticed is... A bit more sensitive I guess. That is, as model count has gone up, painting quality (and indeed, instances of fully painted units or armies) has gone down. I personally do struggle with painting lots of models, so I can easily telegraph my own experiences to see why even full assembly of models (including removal of mould lines and such) is something that is a noteworthy goal in its own right. Getting vast numbers of models "done" is higher on the agenda than doing a nicer job for many, and that seems to me to be counter to one of the things that people have historically cited as a key reason why they like WHFB or 40k (that is, the spectacle of lovingly-painted forces clashing in combat on an attractive tabletop).

I don't think that changing WHFB is going to bring back those players who've gone over to other games like WM/H or Infinity really. Aesthetics and nostalgia are powerful motivators, but the longevity of a game/franchise is in the pleasure to be had from modelling, painting, and playing; the first two GW refuses to compete on, and the latter GW refuses to acknowledge as a problem. So even if AOS is rather different from anything GW has done before, I still don't think it will be enough to bring those players back.

Where AOS has more opportunity is in capturing those who are new players - either new to WHFB, to GW, or to wargaming in general. However, looking at LOTR panned out (which shared a lot of the same circumstances as AOS is facing in terms of target audience), I won't hold my breath.

[Argonor]

one of the things that people have historically cited as a key reason why they like WHFB or 40k (that is, the spectacle of lovingly-painted forces clashing in combat on an attractive tabletop).

Isn't that true for ALL miniature wargames players??

[Vermis]

You know, the new game doesn't sound bad at all from that post.  Full stats for existing units, hopefully a solid ruleset underneath it all, who knows?  Could be good...

Some really stupid names in there though, and waaaay too much fluff - I can do that myself thank you!

Y'know what, I don't disagree. My interest was piqued at the mention of alternate activation, for one thing, and any kind of smaller model count has got to be good at GW's prices. (Though the fluff leaves me cold) I'm just banging my head, for the umpteenth time, against the brick wall of the 'stay GW, stay current, or die' attitude that many GW gamers have, encouraged by GW, who've now pulled the rug out from under them.

Maybe I should just worry about meself, and the games I can get in, but it's like walking past hundreds of people trying their best to push open doors that say 'pull' above the handle.

[Major_Gilbear]

one of the things that people have historically cited as a key reason why they like WHFB or 40k (that is, the spectacle of lovingly-painted forces clashing in combat on an attractive tabletop).

Isn't that true for ALL miniature wargames players??

Well yes, but it's much easier to achieve when:

1) You have fewer models to paint

2) You don't have to keep changing the models you've finished every few years because of new editions/army books/basing rules/etc.

Plus, other games can claim well-written rules, quick and in-depth gameplay, and a whole host of other things that don't apply to WHFB. Therefore, the visual spectacle of playing with a few hundred painted figures between you is considered a particular highlight of that game rather than a normal expectation for pretty much any other game.

Anyway, I'll wait and see what 9E brings; as I said, I don't hold much hope, but I'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised (!).

[Vladimir Raukov]

The more that I learn about this, the more I flip between 'this could be kinda cool' and 'nope, nope, so much nope.' Whatever happens happens though.

[beefcake]

Either way it will be very expensive.

[Vladimir Raukov]

I thought that went without saying, personally.

[Nord]

The biggest clue in to how it will pan out, in my mind at least, comes from GW themselves. Take a look at their releases for 40k, and for the End Times campaign. Substitute in the name Sigmar. Voila! The future.

[Major_Gilbear]

The biggest clue in to how it will pan out, in my mind at least, comes from GW themselves. Take a look at their releases for 40k, and for the End Times campaign. Substitute in the name Sigmar. Voila! The future.

...Yep. 

[beefcake]

I thought that went without saying, personally.

yep.

[zemjw]

They've released an Android version of their Games Workshop app.

Seems to be pretty much all ads from the comments (to be expected, but still disappointing), and the links all seem to point you to the itunes store to buy books etc.

I would have thought a decent RSS feed would have been more useful, but presumably that's so last year

[zemjw]

Mars Alpha Pattern Warlord Titan up for pre-order at ForgeWorld

The thing is massive, but I suppose the logic is that if you can afford it, you can afford a table big enough to hold it.

£1240.00 resin kit. But, hey, at least it's not limited edition 

[Timbor]

Preview pics of the new human and chaos figures in the 9th ed WFB starter set have leaked on the interwebz.  Without posting them here, I will state that 40k and fantasy now have the same esthetic, basically.