All the details for Age of Sigmar came out over the weekend.
On Friday I got the White Dwarf and flicked through the content. I then spent time on the various forums around the net reading AoS game reports. Saturday morning saw the arrival of the datascrolls for the existing armies.
It was with this I caught a sucker punch. Let's say I was unprepared for some of the rules contained therein. I'll call them "Munchkin" rules. When you start getting re-rolls for riding an imaginary horse, talking to that horse, dancing and doing stupid voices, then it is either one or both of two things. Either GW have jumped the shark or it is time to realise that you really are not the demographic this game is aimed at.
On this basis I won't be playing Age of Sigmar from the get go. I'm going to wait and see if it develops. I'm not optimistic.
The key things I was looking for was a continuation of the Warhammer background that I enjoyed while playing the game. The second and most important was for a massed ranked battle game and as it stands AoS doesn't come close to ticking those boxes.
With time it might. Over the next six months we might see this base built on to deliver a game that I would like to play. As it stands the absence of ranks, lack of tactical movement, single dimensional combat mechanism, all point to something that I'm not optimistic for.
In the interim I'm going to paint my models to flesh out and finish my Warhammer armies. I'm happy to continue to play 8th until the ash has settled. Either AoS will develop into something I want to play....or it won't. Alternatively we may see developed of the various mooted fan-based v8.5/9 rulesets. Again I'm not optimistic as I feel more fragmentation is the likely outcome.
Hopefully over the coming months there are enough locals willing to continue having some games of 8th until we can see where things fall and then make an informed choice about future gaming avenues.
Hi Pete,
ReplyDeleteRyan and I played a game of AoS over the weekend. Thinking we should try it before we decry it. Well, I personally seem to be able to forgive GW for many things, even many things about AoS I can handle. But I found a line (Ryan found many) had been crossed for me. The lack of points values means the games will never be balanced. That means games are not often going to be even, and, in my book, that seems no fun.
The only hope I have currently for AoS is that they release some decent campaign books with set forces (we have enjoyed playing Sigmar's Blood), but even then, the first book will have sigmarines in it, and I see no reason to spend any more $$ on this game after this release. Its not a rage quit, but a definite feeling that I won't commit to this product unless it evolves. In the meantime, its time to enjoy what we can with 8th, going to take my ogres for a spin at CTA and just make sure to enjoy a last few games with the army that really got me into Warhammer.
I can handle the advancement of the fluff
ReplyDeleteI dont mind the bases going round, you can still develop a massed rank battle out of that.
I dont even care there is no points, that could have been addressed
Its the one dimensional combat and complete lack of model interaction on top of the removal of any tactical or strategic movement is the biggest problem for me.
Ive played a few games, and all it boils down to is either a standoff outside or missile range or you just pushing it forward and charging into a mass brawl. Whoever rolls 4+ more wins. Gone are the days of resource control or hedging your game on probabilities.
I hope this tanks so GW will be forced to re-write the rules, or can it all together so someone else can buy the rights to Warhammer. 40k your next
Well to be fair there are of course still probabilities ;) but you're right there is very little in the way of Risk Management =/= risk.reward in this game.
DeleteI had fun on Saturday finding all the "Talk to your Model" rules and posting them, but after doing all that i have a question about those rules, are you actually expected to do them for those bonuses? Because i cant find anything that says they are joke, or that they aren't to be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing that has surprised me is how many defenders of AOS i see, i wonder if they have actually played game of it yet and how long they will keep defending it once they have played a few games
I defend it atm because it just seems to early to condemn it completely. I'll get the models either way because they're excellent but hopefully the rules will be worked and expanded upon.
DeleteSee I'm really ambivalent on the models as well. I HATE (and yes that is a strong word) the Stormcast models and of the Khorne the only ones I like are the Marauder replacements. The Berzerkers are too 40k and the Hellbrute while better has major aesthetic faults in my eyes.
DeleteHoping we get better models this week.
God those Stormcast are GAK
The stormcast look like bad rejected space marine models. I hope that all the human range doesnt go that way
DeleteYes after reading through some of the warscrolls that come out on Saturday, I spent a few hours on Sunday reading the 40K rulebook.
ReplyDeleteI am willing to see if becomes a game i wish to play, but while i wait to see what AOS becomes, I will be instead playing KoW, 8th Edition Warhammer and 40k, and of course not buying any new models.
You don't really understand the hobby, do you Hugh :-)
DeleteI think we're in the same boat. This doesn't look like a game I can be bothered to learn, but it's a bit early to dismiss it out of hand. However it needs a lot of work to become attractive enough to try.
ReplyDeleteEither GW has done that work, and will release it, or some other group of dedicated fans will do it.
Until then, time is too short to get into this game. I'll spend what time I have playing 8th and KoW (which I'm still ambivalent about, but which does show some promise).
Overall, I'd say I'm simply deflated over the whole reinvention of WFB. I understand the boldness of their decision and the technical skill in the art and models, yet these new optional rules appear a bit much. I get there was inherent humour in Warhammer, but I don't recall it being on the players, more on the table (rank squabbles, misfires etc)
ReplyDeleteI was however inspired to draw up a cartoon about the whole AoS 'bonuses'..
http://eastern-empire.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AOS-SPECIAL.jpg
Hah! that's brilliant. Sums it up really...
DeleteCheers Jossy :)
DeleteMunchkin was exactly what I thought of when I heard some of the new rules. It sounds like my thoughts on the game direction, background and aesthetic are pretty similar to your own.
ReplyDeleteSo who wants to participate in the next Judge Dredd campaign?
ReplyDeleteI remember when 15mm Renaissance was the dominant game. The published ruleset effectively stopped being supported by the publishing company WRG. A couple of local players made some new rules similar to but different enough and they worked so they became the dominant ruleset for some time.
ReplyDeleteDo people think we could make our own version of fantasy gaming that is similar to warhammer but closer to a game that meets our needs? The warlords did this with the Full Thrust a few years ago and this created a great period that kept us going for many years.
Was that when Dinosaurs walked the earth?
DeleteDefinitely, probably before you were born.
DeleteOne game with AoS has not improved my opinion of it. Still I am willing to give it a few more tries to see if I have missed anything - only because I can use models I already have and the free rules. While technically the models for the AoS box are impressive they do not appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteI for one am interesting in keeping on playing WHFB 8th edition, whether this is pick up games, narrative weekends, etc. I would love to continue to play 8th ed tournaments however I suspect getting the numbers is going to be harder than ever.
Put me down as a +1 on your second paragraph there. I'll continue to attend 8th edition tournaments as long as people continue to host them. I have 3 lined up in the near future and hope that they wont be the last.
Delete