Well I guess we know exactly how well Age of Sigmar has been selling worldwide.
News announced yesterday is that you can now play the game in three modes - Open, Narrative and Competitive. Who would have thought? But thanks GW that's pretty rad (or Amazeballs as a bunch of 30-somethings who are trying to appear down with the kids would say).
In this brave new world where "competitive" gaming exists, GW have joined forces with the world's premium tournament organiser and porteled in their comp system system (I wonder if it can be called Dan's Veal Curry).
So now if you play AoS you are allowed to keep score.
Winners all round here. GW save development costs by the Design Studio and get free IP. UK Podcasters continue to get free Battletomes and maybe even store credit. And, the players they get a new mode to play.
But the real winners are Finance. They get another roll of the dice for minimal cost.
I know it's got me excited.
Does this mean you will give AOS ago? As someone who already plays it's exciting news. More ways to play the game with the hope more people will join in.
ReplyDeleteNo. I'm not looking for a Fantasy skirmish game
DeleteAnd if you were, I can think of three better rule sets in an instant.
DeleteI don't care how many ways they have to play the game in not playing it
ReplyDeleteNot bitter at all Pete :p
ReplyDeleteLook on the bright side, you will get a lot more people into AoS with the points, and after that you will get players wanting alittle more from a fantasy game so will look into Kings of War, Ninth Age (if it lasts past the ETC) or even 8th/8.5.
Besides, if it gives people enjoyment, GW money and UK Podcasters free stuff, what's the harm to the NZ scene?
John - don't care what people play as long as they enjoy it. My view from prior to AoS's release is that it would never be a game I'd play because I wasn't interested in a Fantasy Skirmish game.....Mordheim fills that niche for me and comes with built in narrative.
DeleteIMO this is a good set for AoS in the UK. I think it will help tie up a substantial part of the tournament market. I'm also of the view that T9A will probably assume UK number 2 position. I believe Mantic sat on their laurels a bit post UE. They should have made a bigger push into the UK tournament market by pushing more events.
RoW I think horse has bolted. Certainly Europe is gone. I think USA is advantage KoW at mom but T9A may make inroads. AoS is by all accounts nowhere.
NZ is fractured between KoW and T9A. No AoS being played outside Hamilton.
Oz you'll know better but seems to be KoW/T9A/WFB8. Again I don't see AoS being played going by forums.
Hey, this may change things...but I think it is a UK thing as the horse has bolted elsewhere
Things in Canada (at least in Ontario) aren't great. There was a decent community for WHFB, but it is pretty clear 40k is the lead dog.
DeleteWhat's happened post-AoS is that, much like everywhere, the community fractured and people experimented with a lot of other games.
I would say that 40k is probably still the top dog, although warmahordes is giving them a run for their money. The smaller skirmish games (malifaux, infinity) have grabbed a lot of people and AoS and 9th have very very small communities playing. KoW has no traction at all as far as I can tell.
It's very disappointing given the momentum that had been gaining for WHFB - leading to Canada sending a real team to the ETC.
There are only a handful of people who organise tournaments here and many of those have a vested/monetary interest in pushing AoS over 9th to sell product in their stores. The rest have basically said 'if you can get the numbers we'll run your system, but you have to make it worth my while' - which has meant fewer and fewer fantasy events being run.
Why do you think KoW got no traction Dave?
DeleteCan't see it gathering speed in NZ. All I know is that the fantasy gaming community in NZ is fractured beyond repair.
ReplyDeleteYep, it's still not my cup of tea. Like Pete, I'm just not interested in a fantasy skirmish game, points or no points.
DeletePeople are playing AOS in wellington. We have a group that meets weekly with roughly a dozen players. There has been a tournament ran in GW wellington with more planned.
DeleteBut outside of Wellington/Hamilton i'm not sure if AOS has a community.
Key thing Shaun is that it sounds as though AOS fills your need without this "patch". Do you think it will pull others in? Guess I'm saying "Are people not playing because of lack of points?"
DeleteIf not then this won't make a difference.
I think it is pretty much a given that no Fantasy gaming community is even approaching the size the Warhammer Fantasy was pre End Times.
ReplyDeleteThe fracturing has been a global thing. Perhaps the most united remains Europe....though they have probably become institutionalised to centralised control :-)
Nobody plays AoS in the clubs I attend (in UK). Played more in the FLGS by youngsters maybe, but that crowd is far more fragmented than once was the case with super hero skirmish games v.popular.
DeleteThe word is full rulebook - I wonder if it is free download. This seems to mean fixed points that are effectively set in concrete or until next printing.
ReplyDeleteFlies a little in the face of responsiveness most fan-led systems have.
Smells like GW patch rather than living article.