Hopefully the hate has died down and I can write this without getting lynched. When GW announced that they were killing WHFB, I was not too surprised. Everyone knew the game was dead (from a sales perspective) and it showed. I won’t list the litany of problems with the game, from convoluted rules, to an entry price that was too high even for well heeled folks. Not to mention the drudgery of painting 62 skeletons/skaven/troopers/etc. only to have them destroyed before turn one.
Now, I know I am not breaking new ground here, but it really was the existing fan base that killed the game. I know none of them ever intended it, or even meant for it to happen, it was a by product of the system and the evolution of the game. All the players I know of had their armies, and they were not adding to them. They were not buying new stuff. Add to that the fact the GW hadn’t really put out anything new of fresh in a while and stagnation is the only possible end result.
One thing that really surprised me though was the pure vitriol that spewed forth over AoS. I know EXACTLY how I would feel if WH40K got the same treatment, so I am not saying anyone was wrong for it. I’m just kind of shocked at the energy that was put into hating on AoS and GW. If half of that energy had been put into creating a vibrant, demanding WHFB community, who knows where we would be by now? But for the community to so soundly crush AoS before ever even seeing it or playing is pretty astounding to me. I know when rage overcomes reason that things tend to get ugly, but seriously, come on.
I have played some AoS (and I never would have played WHFB) and I have enjoyed it. I have been reasonably amused at the folks that have put up video batreps and other such items without understanding the idea of the game. I played through a few scenarios and found that there are some VERY important differences with this game and other GW type games.
1 - Scenarios are critical. If you play a “kill the warlord” game, it is going to suck. Flat out, suck. It is a system designed for the warscroll/battleplan paradigm that they have introduced with the game. Scenarios are often designed with some strange rules that make sense only when you see them in action. Also pay attention to the Time of War entries as well. Some of these rules are critical to recreating the scenarios.
2 - Terrain is required and critical as well. Playing on a wide open board is lame as hell and ruins the effect as well as the game play.
3 - You can buy into this game VERY inexpensively - Hell all the rules are free. This really is a gateway drug, and there aren’t many of those games left. New folks to the hobby can get into this game with just a starter set and have some reasonably good fun for a while. Then they can branch out more and more until they scratch that itch or chuck it all. Along the way they will find other races, new models and who knows, we may have a new 40k gamer out there, or a Warmachine player… who cares, as long as the hobby grows.
4 - The game is fun. That’s right, it is anathema to tournament players. It is the anti-christ for all hard-core gamers. It is designed for fun, meant to be fun and is fun. It is not for the beat-face, net-listing, IN YOUR FACE gamer. So if you are that guy, please don’t run it down just to make yourself feel superior. All your doing is killing the hobby and ruining it for everyone.
I have never understood why someone who does not like a particular game/system/faction has to run it down, loudly for everyone to hear, just to make them fell better about themselves?? You do not need to explain to me how much AoS sucks in the face of the death of WHFB. All your blustering will not bring WHFB back. It’s dead, turn the page. If you cannot get over it, move on to other systems and stfu. (I hear wrath of kings is a good replacement and they are trying to get rules out to cover every WHFB model ever made. Very good idea, I must say.) Just don’t try to ruin my fun, and anyone else’s who wants to give AoS a legitimate chance. If it’s not your thing, fine. Move along. You ruined your game, don’t ruin mine.
