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Is games workshop getting its act together?
#1
Just thought i would put this out here.

As i am relatively new to the hobby, to me it seems that the years of stagnation i have heard about seem to be coming to an end. The plethora of new models, codex updates and campaigns for 40k indicates to me a significant interest in improving the brand in response to new challengers in the market (Warmachin ect)

Couple this with the end times in WHFB, could we possibly see major story progression and development of the 40k universe?

Just my two cents. Feel free to chip in, debate or drop a large S10 AP1 template on this opinion.

Hydra Dominatus
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#2
While it is interesting to see WFB get totally torn down to make way for something else, I feel that the new direction GW are heading, by avoiding gamers and concentrating more on just the collectors is a risky venture.

The biggest thing they have going for them is the current brand recognition and existing background to build on. Starting totally fresh could well go either way but that's for future us to tell rather then today us Big Grin

For me, the direction of "Bigger" everything is not one for me and has turned me away from the game.
And if there is no game to play, its very unlikely I'll buy a model just to paint when there are plenty of cheaper alternative cool models to buy, just to paint.
W40K: Blood Ravens / Orks / Inquisitor / Imperial Guard
Warhammer: Dwarfs
Warmachine: Protectorate of Menoth / Khador / Cygar / Circle
Malifaux: Started Neverborn and Outcasts
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#3
(19-03-2015, 07:16 PM)aprilmanha Wrote: While it is interesting to see WFB get totally torn down to make way for something else, I feel that the new direction GW are heading, by avoiding gamers and concentrating more on just the collectors is a risky venture.

The biggest thing they have going for them is the current brand recognition and existing background to build on. Starting totally fresh could well go either way but that's for future us to tell rather then today us Big Grin

For me, the direction of "Bigger" everything is not one for me and has turned me away from the game.
And if there is no game to play, its very unlikely I'll buy a model just to paint when there are plenty of cheaper alternative cool models to buy, just to paint.

I agree. When the current CEO (or is it previous) said they are a modelling company first and foremost it set some alarm bells ringing. However we are seeing some good rules updates, new codex and new faction releases and lets mot forget GW little and highly succesful brother Forge world.

Bigger is jever better, because sooner or later everyone will have knights and riptides. The newer dexs seem to be encouraging mixed lists with good rules balance, which can only be a good thing.

Still i take your points and agree with most of them. Codex creep needs to be stopped. Hopefully a few more codexs into this rejuvination of 40k we may see that happening (also known fondly as nerfs)
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#4
I'm not going to commit to any opinion just yet, but I will say, I was worried when the CEO of a company that produces a Core Rulebook, army specific Codexes, then Supplements for those Codexes, then introduces allies into the core rules, then starts releasing Dataslates for specific models and/or formations, then releases Campaign books charging £30+ each time, then comes out and says "we're not a gaming company, we're a model company..."

I'm less worried now however, 7th edition is great, allowing for a vast variety of games, not one army or even army type is dominating the tournament scene which is refreshing to see. 90% of the Codexes are balanced now, which is excellent from a gaming perspective as well.

I think there is a much better vibe about the game at the moment. But I'm not holding my breath yet, GW are likely to throw it all away in an instant.




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#5
Warning, slightly ranty :p
Codex creep stopped ages ago in my opinion, 90% of the codex and supplements are balanced and 7th edition is by far my favourite iteration of the rules.

The problem with GW hobby wise is that due to the internet, people see netlists and peoples opinions of certain models on forums and then have an opinion on certain builds and models without even playing them!

For example, Riptides were awesome in 6th edition due to the fact you could put a Buffmander with them, leading to the dreaded O'vesa star. In 7th, my Riptides do little in most games, it is mainly missilesides with markerlight support and missile suits with Buffmander that do the damage but due to the stigma with Riptides, they get moaned at for being cheesey (hence my shelving of mine/reduction to 1, despite it being my favourite GW model Sad )

The only issue i have is the lack of FAQ and Errata updates to codex, they used to reasonable regular but now happen very rarely!
I'm also enjoying the rapid release schedule.

Financially, i do agree that GW are entering risky territory with the rebranding of armies, rumoured rebooting of fantasy and switching to being the producers of collectable models (which i hear is for IP reasons on other forums) rather than a gaming company first. The prices for some things are in the extortionate level, i do wish they would drop the price level on some things. £18 for a sang priest for example is a shocking price point.
40k- Space marines(5000 pts) Imperial guard (3000 pts) Tau (3000 pts)
Epic 40k-Space marines/Imperial Guard(2000 pts)
Infinity Yu jing (Aprox 1000 pts)
Necromunda Escher Mad capsules Avalanche
Blood bowl Skaven
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#6
I agree that the newer codexes that have come out seem balanced and I'm enjoying 40k again at the moment. Worried about what is going to happen with Fantasy. Wish the supplements were a lot cheaper and the HQ models are ridiculously expensive. Big models are also way overpriced but then you don't have to buy them...
40K - Dark Angels, Dark Eldar, Necrons; Lord of the Rings - lots; Bloodbowl - Dwarves, Wood Elves; SAGA - Anglo Danes & Welsh; Guildball - Morticians, Engineers; Dropzone/fleet - Shaltari
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#7
I agree to a large extent Vince, that the Internet is a problem for GW but mainly the GW policy on how they handle it, I remember back in the day they even had there own forum!!! But that turned in a nasty place for people to post hate posts after hate posts demanding answers or wanting changes, they just could not cope with people creating new profiles quicker than the MOD team could delete them. So they removed that. Which was a shame, it was a good place when I joined.

Then they had a central FB page which when I noticed it, it lasted less than a month, its now done on a local shop by shop basis I believe, youtube videos don't allow comments and they don't openly want feedback. I recommend people to listen to the allies of convenience they have some really interesting stances on GW, they always revert back to GW policies in each episode, so there is not a single episode to pick out.

I like a few comments that were made on the podcast about what we want as gamers and what GW perceive we want, basically the bloke said if GW really wanted a solid ruleset and for it to be tested, if they approached say 50 people from various places around the world most if not all would want to help with play testing rules and try to balance the game. If they wanted feedback all they would have to do is send a few interns into GW's or just Warhammer World gaming floor with clip boards with a questionnaire for a few hours to get feedback.. the consumers would love to give feedback, but gw don't, they have this iron curtain type stance of no ones allowed to know what they are doing and we all buy there plastic crack when then send something new to shelves. But there is no place to send feedback about it, the only place GW get feedback is through the tills....

I really liked those comments from different episodes and they really speaks volumes.

GW don't run proper tournaments anymore, which was an active step away from the competitive scene, but in reality the competitive scene shapes GW, without Justin Cook winning Nova with Ovesa bomb, people don't buy Riptides on mass, they buy a balanced Tau army, without people doing well with Eldar Wave Serpent spam, people don't buy Serpents on mass, they buy Falcons first or Fire Prisms, if people win big events it shapes what people perceive as good and they copy because they know it works, they base lists around that initial idea, it saves money, because you look at a Serpent vs Falcon on paper, they look close, but in reality the Serpent is far superior. I do and I know many people who look at tournament results and copy the top lists (Look at Necron Wraith Spam from the Cally 2013 army list document, there was about 10-20 lists that were within 50pts of being identical, the examples don't end there just look at a rising giant.. Eldar Hornets from Forge World, they are good, but at the GT Heat3, I was won of 2 or 3 people at most that had them, only 1 list had 9!!, then Cally just a few months after, there were had masses, the GT final had loads as well.. all because people had done well with Hornets in previous events. Then you look at the forums and what people talk about most Eldar lists will have a comment saying.. you need Hornets or you need more Hornets...

If GW opened up there doors to a few months of criticism, because people are going to hate, once people got the hate off there chests and GW actually embraced what people are saying, I think they would crush many other companies that exist only because of GW's inept ability to talk to us consumers, produce solid rule-sets and then FAQ to keep things balanced.

Lol that turned ranty ahaha




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