A Digital Dawn?

I see Tim over at Plastic Krak has published a post pointing to the Tomb King army book being missing from the GW UK webstore. Apparently it has been marked as "Sold Out" though still available in other languages.

Tim then makes a thoughtful post on what this may mean going forward.

For what it's worth here are my thoughts on what we may see going forward.

The crux when you look at Warhammer is the economics. It just does not generate the cash that comes from 40k. That is obviously not unnoticed at Lenton and I think shay we are seeing now is an attempt to rationalize the product offering.

The economics can't sustain 15 races. The stock that needs to be carried in stores and the space devoted to house it are unsustainable IMO. What we are seeing now is a move to reduce this to 5-7 offerings. These can then be carried in a smaller store space and low selling models then supplied from web orders. So an essence a continuation of what we are seeing now.

However I think we will start to see another trend emerge. The latest 40k codexes tend to be vanilla but are followed with limited run variant codexes which then morph in time to DLC. I think we'll see increasing use of this methodology from GW. A limited set of sourcebooks - End Times look like 4-5 - to be followed in 9th with similar limited offering. This can then be supplemented by digital product  as people come around to this method of buying their GW (though the delay is GW rather than customer inspired).

If you check the digital catalogue there are lots of pointers to this. The Battlefield series and a limited number of items like Belakor.

With 40k there has been a more aggressive push into DLC as variant lists and codexes are pushed at every release.

So for me while these might be the End Times, they also herald the dawn of the WHFB digital age.

End Times: The Rise of the Under-Empire

The intrawebz are telling me that Skaven (especially) and Lizardmen are the focus of the next End Times book:


Skaven background will focus on an invasion of Lustria and inlcude a lot of information on Lizardmen and “the plan” as well. While the book will be Skaven focused, it will still have a heavy Lizardmen flavor as the main plot lines focus around them.

It will also discuss the “Great Ascendancy” which will include the Horned Rat and the rise of the Skaven to the surface to enslave all of mankind (or attempt to). The true roots of Skaven will also be discussed. It will also cover Skaven happenings around the Warhammer World, including the Dwarfs, the Chaos Invasion and the return of Nagash and how the rats fit into the whole picture.

The Skaven are not too keen on the whole end of times motif for the obvious negative effects it will have on their survival...so as usual they plot and scheme to ensure that their best interests are served in the end with others doing their dirty work. Not to play spoiler, but it sounds as though they will play a pivotal role in undoing the nefarious plans of the dark powers.

There will be new models accompanying the release to include:

• New Vermin Lord (Horned Rat) BIG Kit....
• Lord Skrolk
• Lord Nurglitch
• Grey Seer Thanquol and Bone Ripper
• Grey Seer on Foot
• Rat Ogres
• Dual kit with Poisoned Wind Globadiers and Plague Censer Bearers

That sounds like an awful lot of Skaven "love". I'm not sure that I believe it all. I hope so but it does sound like a bit of a wishlist.

New Zealand - Singapore ETC Challenge Shield

Prior to this year's ETC, the New Zealand team played Singapore in a warm-up game.

This match was very hard-fought with the Singaporeans eventually prevailing 82-78. It was a great hit-out for us and allowed us to then rethink some of our matchups and approaches.

I was keen that this pre-ETC battle become a tradition and so, as losing Captain, said that I would provide a trophy for future events.

I've finally been into the local trophy makers and had the following created:

It is a solid chunk of heart Rimu (a New Zealand native), laser-etched and with matchup "shields" for upcoming tussles.

I'm now in the throes of getting it to Dave the Singaporean Captain so that they can display it in their shop/club and bring it along to the ETC in Prague for the next battle.

 

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Updated NZTC 2015 Players Pack

The updated NZTC Players Pack can be found here

The key change is finalising the Composition system as per the post earlier today.

Weekend Hobby Update

Again another productive hobby weekend for me.


I woke up on Saturday morning and my digital version of End Times:Khaine had been downloaded onto my iPad. The last couple of days I've been working through the fluff and it just reinforces was a duplicitous bunch the PEGs are - certainly none of the honour or value system of a true valiant race like the Skaven, for instance.


On Saturday morning got a game in against a returning player before popping into the Warlords to check on the Lords of War event. Nice to see a resurgence in the local 40k scene.


Hobby wise, I was working on my Mortis Engine. Initially I had done the spectral guff in a blue but have now taken it to a green using liberal "Waywatcher Green" glaze.


Yesterday I got out the terrain for this weekend's Masters. After a year of gaming there were some repairs and touch-ups required. That's now been completed.


Finally, I had a look at some of the "hobby" in the garage and have put aside some excess terrain for disposal. If anyone locally is after especially 40k terrain then please let me know. I have an assembled but unpainted "Fortress of Redemption". I also have a lot of the of the card-based Warhammer 40k, Gorkamorka and Necromunda terrain that hast been built and based (on mdf) as 40k terrain.

NZTC Composition

The release of the End Times has certainly shaken things up dramatically. As far as the tournament scene goes I can see a real state of "flux" for the next few months.

 

Over the past few weeks Tim Joss (NZTC Umpire) and myself have had discussions about what this meant for the NZTC. With the release of the third volume, we have made a decision on the tournament's comp so people can plan with some surety.

 

So the comp for the 2015 event will be as follows:

• FOB Lite
• No Special Characters
• No End Times Lists or Rules
• No more than three of same character choice e.g. Three Skaven Engineers, three DE Masters etc

 

Note: New GW Errata allowing up to 50% Lords and up to 50% Heroes will be in place

I'm sure over time that the integration of End Times will occur however at present there are just too many balls in the air to know conclusively where/when that it.

Please note that the aim of the event is not to break the comp and if a list should eventuate that Tim thinks would detract from opponents' joy of the game* then I reserve the right for him to send it back.

*Obviously this against a backdrop where both Dwarfs and Dark Elves are being allowed to participate. 

FOB NZ Rankings - 40k Updated for Lords of War

The Lords of War results are in the rankings.

This was a one day event run at the Wellington Warlords yesterday and umpired by Carson Turnbull.

LoW attracted 12 players and was won by Dave Hodgetts using Tau.

End Times: Subterranean?

So what if the 4th End Times books continues the style of the first three?

"Faced with the ongoing battle between Chaos and Order and the likelihood of fallout into their realms, the Warlords of the Gobi, Dawi and Underempire put centuries of conflict behind them."

"End Times:Subterranean gives you rules to combine the three races that inhabit the warrens and holds of the World's Edge Mountains. Why? Well for no reason other than we don't know how to combine them otherwise and they are all short and live underground."

I think this would be a brilliant ploy. First of all from a hobby point of view you wouldn't need to paint so many Skavenslaves - you can just use Dwarf Warriors/Longbeards/Hammerers as slaves. I'd also quite fancy adding Fanatics to my Slave units and who knows it might make an otherwise underpowered unit useable.

Over time then GW could retire the Dwarfs as the Skaven and Gobi assimilate and improve on the Dawi warmachines.

I have seen the way forward and I like it!

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End Times Magic Items

There has been a debate "raging" on various forums as to whether characters who are part of End Times armies can take Magic Items from their parent books.

The argument against is that in those books it says something to the tune of (paraphrased) "Characters in a Beastmen/Warriors/Tomb Kings/etc army can take Magic Items from the following list". As they are now not part of that parent army they have no access to the items.

So a RAW argument which may or may not have been the intent.

However one entry in the upcoming Khaine book made me prick up my ears:

"If your army includes Imrik, Crown Prince of Calador, no other character in your army can have the star lance Magic Weapon from Warhammer Armies: High Elves"

-End Times: Khaine

That seems to me to indicate that the intent is that characters can access items in their parent book - otherwise why mention it?

I'm erring on the side of - like Supporting Attacks and Predatory Fighter - the intent outweighs the RAW. I guess we need an FAQ but I'm not holding my breath.

And no Dark Elfies, that doesn't mean your Masters can take the Star Lance!

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Basing Timmy the Terrorgheist

Finally got around to basing Little Timmy. Do you think I can claim hard cover?

 

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