The Spectacle of 8th Edition

One of the points remarked on in numerous forums regarding 8th Edition is just how much better the games look. I would like to reiterate that point.

Yesterday I had two games down at my local club and it was interesting just how many people were attracted to the tables. The aesthetics are better on two fronts.

Firstly, there is more terrain. Because terrain is not the impediment to movement and shooting that it was in 7th Edition there is far more of it on the tables. This makes the battlefield look like a battlefield. I am hoping one of the upshots is that people will dedicate more time to their terrain and how it looks as it is no longer the negative it was.

Secondly, the units are bigger. Now this may change with time and as tactics develop but we are still in a honeymoon period. The rules confer advantages to big units and therefore people are embracing this part of the game. Yesterday we had an ongoing combat with a Plague Furnace with 25 Monks and 50 Lothern Sea Guard. A unit of 40 Skavenslaves barreled into the flank and they were in turn hit by 15 Swordmasters. In 7th ed you typically saw minimal sized Slave and swormaster units and never saw Sea Guard.

From a spectacle point of view the game looked great - and attracted onlookers.

Long may it continue!