5 Problems with Games Workshop Games

I love Warhammer 40,000 and have been playing it with my friends since I was 15 back when 3rd edition was just coming to an end. Over the years I have been slowly working on my plague marine army which many of you have seen examples of across this blog and am an avid painter. I like all the aspects of the hobby: painting minis, building terrain, and playing the game.

However these days it is mostly just my sister and I playing and working on our armies, as it is a little hard to convince the guys at JADE to get into Warhammer 40k. The reality is that there are some serious issues with getting into any Games Workshop Games and here are five of them.

It's Expensive

As someone who builds model airplanes and tanks, I actually don't think that Warhammer 40k is that expensive... Ok let me back track there I don't think that certain items in Warhammer 40k are that expensive. For example a pack of Chaos Space Marines costs about $50 CAD, which is about what a high detail model of a similar scale and number of parts would costs. It costs money to sculpt, design the models, royalties etc, etc.

That being said, individual models can cost just as much as a pack of 10 guys or more, and that is absolutely outrageous. As I said, there are many costs involved in making model but honeslty how can you justify charging $43 for Kharn the Betrayer?

The price of any Games Workshop game is similarly ridiculous and the main turn off for most new players. To get around this I recommend taking your time to collect your army. there are plenty of game versions involving armies of 750pts and smaller that are quite fun.

Imgae Source: http://taleofpainters.blogspot.ca/2014/06/review-warhammer-40000-7th-edition.html

The Rules Keep Changing (For the Worse)

So at the time of writing this, 8th edition was release a few months back to fairly good reviews, but in truth there are still a number of  players out there who are not happy. Whether you think Rogue Trader is the best, or 5th edition the arguments still rage on every Warhammer forum.

Edition Changes also mean you have to spend more money on rulebooks, and possibly miniatures as units in your force become defunct in the new rule sets. It is a real pain in the ass, and means that you have to pay close attention to what is going on so you know about upcoming changes.

And this is tue of all Gamesworkshop titles. Look at their Lord of the Rings Miniatures game, that quickly became the Hobbit when that franchise was released.

In this case the simplest recommendation is the best: don't worry about it. Try new rule sets as you see fit not when they release them. Personally my sister and I are going backwards through time to see all the differences in the 40k editions. So don't believe what they tell you: the latest edition isn't always the greatest. Also... Older editions are usually way cheaper.

Games Workshop Staff are Pushy

JADE's Dave absolutely hates going into Games Workshop stores. He doesn't play any GW games, he just likes their scenery, miniatures cases, etc. His stories of going to them are always hilarious. Whether it's their regular harass him to play a game with them or their constant up selling he always returns with a tale.

For me since I know what I am looking for in a Games Workshop this isn't such a big deal, and I can easily deflect their up selling and get them to help me with what I came in for. However for new players or the uninitiated this can be really intimidating, and you can end up leaving with some things you wouldn't have otherwise bought.

If you are the sort with social anxiety, order your stuff online. There is usually an option to send it to your local store for free where you can go in and pick it up, avoiding a lot of social interaction and shipping fees.

Thin Your Paints!

Painting Minis is Hard

I have been painting minis for almost 14 years with some breaks in between. It has only been in the passed 3 years that I have actually been any good at it. Games Workshop minis are expensive, high detail, and a real shame when you aren't much of a painter and "ruin them" with a terrible paint job. There is nothing quite as disheartening when your opponents army looks like one of the 'Eavy Metal Team painted them and yours are looking like they were done by a five year old.

Practice makes perfect here, and remember when you are painting your figures to use thin coats. Because of this I was able to recover almost all of my badly painted Plague Marines from back in the day.

Image Source: https://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/02/check-out-this-amazing-warhammer-40k-collection-from-korea/

It Takes a Lot of Space and Time to Play

A game of Warhammer 40k between two people will take up your dining room table and your entire evening. Adding any more to the board makes it exponentially larger and longer. I remember playing 4-5 player games in my teens that literally took 6-8 hours to complete due to the sizes of the forces involved. 

Not everyone is down for a game that long, and most people don't have that kind of space, which is a problem if you actually want to play. To get around this go to game stores, they often have tables and players interested, otherwise if you have the space get a ping-pong table. They are usually large enough to handle up 4 players comfortably.

Conclusions

If you can get over those 5 issues give a Games Workshop Game a go! They are a fun hobby that you can get really deep into. If not maybe find something else to fill your time....


Written by: Andrew Gregory

Zinthilas The Wizard

Zinthilas the Wizard is a very mysterious figure. He arrived at Waerham's Hold on horseback one day completely out of the blue. Unlike the rest of us who's lives had been changed by the coming goblin invasions, Zinthilas in his weeks of travel heading North hadn't seen or heard of a single goblin. This was suspicious in and of itself, but needing someone with some organizational skills we had little choice but to invite him into the castle.

He tallied our stores and helped determine that we had about 1 months worth of food left, along with a list of items and supplies required. Flint and Sen were delighted at the news -it being more food security then either of them had had in 2 months of travel- but Zinthilas was concerned that it was no where near enough to last through the coming winter. 

Despite his crippled leg, Zinthilas later chose to accompany the party on our mission to wipe out a goblin encampment that had harassed us in several previous games. Zinthilas rode out on his horseback keeping with the company, but his motives where not what they seemed. He used his magic to try and trick us to go to Thachet for supplies. It was done out of concern rather than malice for he felt that food for the winter were the priority, and besides, he didn't believe there really were goblins.

Zinthilas has largely kept his Magic-Using status a secret revealing his abilities only to Cutter (who has also kept his talents hidden) And Cutter has not shared this information. The rest of us are completely in the dark, though we have come to notice some suspicious activities that we have all witnessed Zinthilas preform.

In game terms Zinthilas is a level 6 Magic User in 1st ed AD&D who has joined the Hymns of a Vagabond party as an NPC. Level 6 is pretty powerful in 1st ed giving him access to a number of 3rd level spells. In fact he is the most powerful magic user we have encountered so far.

Despite their suspicions, so far the party trusts him as they have no real reason not, but the players don't knowing his true nature. I am actually convinced he is harmless, however in game Sen noticed shackle scars on his wrists when he was dismounting his horse, which suggests their is more to him then he has told us.

I am actually not sure where I got this mini from. I suspect he's from the now defunct 15mm Co, but I couldn't find him on the new Alternative Armies site either... So if you know where he is from I would love to know!

I hope to have a mini of him on horse back finished soon.

Written by: Andrew Gregory

Orin "Cutter" Broil

Orin "Cutter" Broil is no older than sixteen. He was abandoned by his family upon reaching his teen years and took up a position as a kitchen boy at a shady tavern frequented by thieves and cutthroats outside of the equally shady town of Thachet. Over the years of working in the tavern Cutter learned the thieving arts, as well as some magic spells during his trips into Thachet. Though young, Cutter was a promising thief and had some aptitude for magic: His future with the thieves was looking bright.

All of that changed though when a goblin scouting party ransacked the tavern forcing him to flee and seek shelter elsewhere. With the road to Thachet blocked by goblin patrols, he fled South to an old meeting place in the area. There he encountered Sen and Aren who brought him back to Waerham's Hold and he has served as the cook ever since.

In game terms Cutter is a level 1 Thief/Magic User in First Edition AD&D. He is now part of our Hymns of a Vagabond Campaign; though his Player has sadly been absent from the passed few sessions, so he has largely kept to the background.

We don't know much about Cutter other then he quickly latches on to people, and is a bit of a compulsive liar with a need to please. Classic Teenager.

Cutter's mini come from Magister Militum with a small addition of the bow poking out over his left shoulder. Let's hope he proves his worth in the party as the game continues.

Written by: Andrew Gregory