Age of Sigmar

The big story this week is the arrival of Games Workshop's divisive, epic reboot/overhaul of Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. The new ruleset is available for free for the first time ever in Games Workshop's history. So check them out for yourself.

But if you haven't heard about it yet, there have been drastic changes to previous iteration. First and foremost that they have decided to scrap the point system, now players are encouraged to bring as few or as many miniatures as they want. Measuring for movement will now be done from the miniature as opposed to the base. Facing is no longer an issue as miniatures have no facing any longer. Initiative is random every turn. Customization is no longer an option. Overall it seems like GW has made a game that is much more casual friendly. The core rules are very simple and very streamlined. The bulk of the complexity is in the individual units, and any unit only has four actual stats, listed in the indevidual books of each faction. These include movement (how far the thing can go), wounds (how much pain the thing can take), save (how well it is able to shrug off damage), and bravery (how likely it is to flee in the face of adversity)Needless to say Age of Sigmar has been a beacon for controversy in the last couple of weeks.

Some players were confused and baffled by some of the rules choices.
Some players were upset .
Some players feel cheated out of a full game.
Some players are already deciding what to move on to next.
And then you have the totally rational gentleman who uploaded a video wherein he sets fire to his army and entire collection of Warhammer models.

Much of the criticism seems to be that the games rules are too thin and no longer offers a large tactical or meaningful strategic experience. As well as the game's "Pay To Win" aspects are more transparent than ever.

Where as proponents of the game like to remind everyone else that the sky is in fact not falling. That the new release will re-invigorate the hobby, and with the simpler game and streamlined mechanics, getting your friends to play Warhammer should be easier than ever. That ultimately, its a game meant to entertain, and playing and supporting the game is your choice, not obligation. Finally, they point out the

models. Oh yes....the models. It's the elephant in the room when talking Warhammer, isnt it? Behind the generic fluff that exists to only justify the amazingly-detailed-over-the-top-designed miniatures, Games Workshop's army of sculptors and designers went all out with this new release. The new miniatures included in the base set are absolutely top of the line, well sculpted, and impeccably produced. The new starter set boasts a total of forty-seven figures, six of which are unique individual characters, with awe-inspiring detail. In a way, Age of Sigmar is forcing players to ask themselves; "Isn't that enough?"

Games Workshop has perhaps used this opportunity to begin transitioning towards selling its products to collectors and modelers, not competitive "gamers".Such has been the rumors and murmurs for a long time. Regardless, they have without a doubt taken a big risk and big leaps with Age of Sigmar. Time will tell what their intentions were. More so, weather the gamble was successful. Personally, I am very interested to see if Age of Sigmar can sustain itself on minis alone, or will Games Workshop do something even more shocking and unprecedented: by maybe, just maybe, listening to their fans.