Warhammer 40,000

I'll echo the distaste for the new Marines direction. Mostly it just seems purely corporate, because Marines' schtick used to be flexibility and being take-all-comers and they've switched entirely into specialized units that are still aesthetically identical. Like, previously you'd have something like: Tactical Marines on one side, maybe a squad of ten would have boltguns on most of the squad plus a power sword and plasma pistol on the sergeant, a meltagun on one guy and a heavy bolter on another. On the other hand you'd have Eldar Aspect Warriors, say Fire Dragons, all of which had meltaguns and they did exactly that and their special rules were for meltaing better while being trash at everything else, as well as being aesthetically designed around being The Melta Dudes. But now we have Marines with their all-new Primaris Meltanator Squad, which looks and functions the exact same as every other Primaris unit except every model has a Meltanator Rifle (like a meltagun but better) and... that's it. It's just so creatively bankrupt.

Personally I blame metagamers myself (but then I blame lots of thigs on metagamers). The less options there are, the easier it is to balance the metagame. I remember when I first started in the hobby, metagamers used to be ostracized with people sometimes outright refusing to play them because only other metagamers enjoy playing metagamers. Now they seem to be the core demographic. Metagaming was also considered a very American thing as well with there being some groans whenever it turned out that some had turned up at a tournament.

I certainly get the complaining when it comes to demographics switching from casual to more competitive-minded players, but I honestly don't think it's a real dichotomy. Well-written, balanced rules help everyone. Maybe when wargaming was smaller and more niche then the underlying assumption of "everyone's here to roll some dice and see what happens" was valid, but considering how much it's grown, I don't think expecting games to hold up as games is such a big ask. Of course nasty, salty attitudes and even cheating suck and should be called out at every turn, and grey-tiding meta-chasers who only care about winning are boring, but you can have a solid game thay rewards good play and still cater to the casual audience. If anything, better internal balance helps the casual players more — less chance of getting screwed over by taking their favorite unitd without knowing they had bad rules.

The thing with this though is that to me "everyone is her to have fun and not worrying about the result" is the definition of a game. Going all out to win isn't a game, its a competition. This is something I don't just think about wargames but about all games, tabletop or computer. Its one of the reasons I stick to single-player video games on those rare occasions I actually play them.

Since I don't play, my gripe is primarily artistic and related to the above-mentioned point about the specialized troop-types looking too similar to each other. If most Marines are going to have virtually identical styles of armour, then I'd prefer the generic Marines being sold in just one big box together with lots of bits for customizing their weapons, plus some separately sold extra customization packs with compatible bits. I mostly have much more interest for visually distinct troops, such as the culturally-specific ones fielded only by certain Chapters or Legions, with robes, talismans and such things. The different guns look too similar to each other, making it difficult to tell them apart without further customization, while every single Marine wearing Phobos-pattern armour looks identical.

It might help to switch it up with the what colour of armour the Marines are wearing in ads, even though I know the Ultramarines are supposed to be the Jack of All Trades generic Marines that everybody else copies. But besides the name, they're mostly not even really coloured ultamarine, but a weird shade between baby-blue, azure and periwinkle, which is kinda unappealing to me. I much prefer the deep blue of the Crimson Fists. Most Chapters look more interesting to me, so in the webshop my eyes are usually drawn to the units that have some other colour than the Ultramarine blue.

Edited by Mara999 on May 2nd 2023 at 10:45:43 PM

I don't really agree? Just because something is a game — board-, video-, war-, whatever — doesn't mean you shouldn't care about the outcome or that doing so is devaluing the experience in some way. Like, when I play board games with my family I'm certainly trying to win, but I'm also trying to ensure everyone has a good time, knows what's going on, and doesn't get unduly frustrated. Games and competition aren't mutually exclusive. It just necessitates that everyone is on the same page — tryharding in Smash against your 8-year-old nephew is a dick move, but doing the same with a friend who's on the same level is very fun.

It's about matching expectations.

If everyone in a Magic game is running their tournament heavy hitters, it can be a fun game. If everyone is running janky decks built around dumb combos, it can be a fun game.

If one player is running a thousand dollar competitive deck and one is running a handful of draft chaff, it absolutely is not going to be a fun game.

Hey, I like my aspect warrior Astartes squads, thanks! It's how I wanted them anyway, back when we didn't have the option.

And now I get that, but with the upside of way better-proportioned models? Strictly better, to borrow a malapropism from MTG (since someone brought it up).

A short interview about designing the new Tyranids. I like seeing older elements brougt back and tweaked.

Edited by Mara999 on May 3rd 2023 at 11:18:29 AM

I haven't played tabletop for many a year, but seeing an update to ye olde cuddlebug warms my heart.

Edited by ViperMagnum357 on May 3rd 2023 at 6:31:02 AM

Faction focus on Tyranids and the CSM. Looking at one of the pictures◊, it hit me that the Venomcrawler is very similar to the new Tyranid Psychophage◊. I wonder if they are close enough in size, so that I can kitbash them?

Necromunda Apocrypha about the Ash Wastes settlement Halfway.

Double-post: Lots of stuff in recent days, such as designers' notes on the Votann in Galowdark. I like these as individual characters in a skirmish game. I could see them serving double-duty together with the Squats in Necromunda, or even as character-models in Rogue Trader.

This time the faction-focus is on the Necrons.

Mission-cards for the new edition.

An article on how the Carnifex has developed from the original Screamer-Killer. I still like the design for that second-generation metal Carnifex, especially when it's customized into Old One Eye. I also like that new Screamer-Killer, so I'd hope to see the Carnifex and Screamer-Killer become separate species, so that there is a chance of a future Carnifex that's a throwback to the second-generation one.

I like the Luggger, Dôzr & Jump Pack Warrior models the best of the new Hearthkyn models.

Personally, I like the current model the best of the Carnifex models and was never a fan of the metal Carnifex, it's proportioning look wrong to me. On the other hand, while I like the new Screamer-Killer, the original is still my favourite if only for the nostalgia.

It's the head-region and shoulders that I like about the metal Carnifex, because it looks like a helmet. That Carnifex is admittedly a bit too stationary to fit the character of the Tyranids, but it could work for a more civilized insectoid race, something like the Vespid.

The next page I was planning on working on for making transparent pics is the Astartes page. However, while I was looking at that page, it got me wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to roll the pages for the classic Marines and the Primaris together, especially since GW is focusing exclusively on Primaris nowadays.

I always thought they should be one page. If I remember correctly, it was unilaterally.

Today on Warhammer Community: 10th Edition Faction Focus for Astra Militarum.

Started a sandbox page here

More on the models for the Inquisitorial retinue in Kill Team, including sprues. As I've said before, I really appreciate it whenever the contents of the sprues are revealed, because it helps me get an idea of what is waiting for me in the box and allows me to plan ahead better.

Double-post: Faction focus on Chaos Daemons and Sisters of Battle. Next up will be the Votann. In the 40-year retrospective they focus on the first miniature cast after the move to GW's current headquarters in Nottingham.

Interesting to see that the move away from complex faction abilities wasn't a global thing but case-by-case. Necrons got their Command Protocols turned into a very simplified detachment ability, but Sisters kept Acts of Faith more or less unchanged. I appreciate that, some of them felt very interesting and thematic (like Sisters, Death Guard and Craftworlds) while others were rather tacked on (like Custodes and Tau).

Faction focus on the Votann this time, a closer look at the new Terminator sprue, and rules for mutating Cultists in Kill Team. I like the picture◊ that looks almost like different Evolutionary Levels, because the first two resemble each other. Gives me an idea for a boss battle, how to convert several versions of the same character going from cultist to monster.

Double-post: Faction focus on the World Eaters, as well as a closer look at the newer members of the Gaunt family. These Barbgaunts and Neurogaunts are really cool and I'd like to make an attempt at kitbashing them with the Termagants/Hormagaunts and Gargoyles. They look like they could also be kitbashed with Genestealers.

World Eaters ended up being the test run for 10th ed in the same way Space Marines were for 9th. Thankfully faction secondaries are gone.

This time the faction focus is on the Mechanicus, while we also get a closer look at the Inquisition and the Neurotyrant.

I started an IP thread for the pic in the Outcasts folder on the Aeldari page.