Entry Point and Expansion

Many years ago, GW published core and secondary games and supported them with a wide range of figures.  The core games are/were WFB, 40K, and LotR.  The secondary games were Space Marine, Epic 40,000, Epic Armageddon, Necromunda, Space Hulk, Blood Bowl, Mordheim, and Battlefleet Gothic to name the big hitters.

A large number of people were drawn into the GW Hobby from these secondary games, myself being one of them.  And a lot of us speak about those games with passion and fond memories!   But those games aren't supported much at all anymore and GW isn't focused on using them or other great game ideas as entry points into the GW Hobby.

While GW has continued to produce great models and kits, there is no effort into additional entry point games.  Yes, they have licenses with Fantasy Flight Games to produce great board games, and video game companies to make video games, but are those folks who play these games actually entering the GW Hobby?  GW certainly has wider recognition than ever before, but is the hobbyist pool actually expanding?   Board gaming and video gaming are great fun, but they are instant gratification games and easily achievable results within hours.  Do those people want to or are willing to spend hours working on an army?

I find it to be an interesting discussion point. In all my years of playing and wide spread interaction with hobbyists across the world, I haven't met anyone yet who has said that GW video games or GW board games (2005-present) were the cause of them getting into the GW Hobby.

Gratuitous model shot of a Praetors of Orpheus Space Marine that I painted way back when I was still at GW. 

What was your first GW game?

As the title says, what was your first GW game? 

Space Hulk for me back in 1990.  The game was awesome and still is to this day.   We played a lot of it and the rulebooks mentioned additional scenarios, rules, and campaigns in White Dwarf magazine.  So we picked up a couple of copies of this and that was all she wrote.  Looking at all the great pictures, armies, scenarios, everything about GW games that those WDs used to contain, we were hooked.

Within months, we were also playing Adeptus Titanicus/Space Marine and Blood Bowl.  Within the year, WFB and 40K.    And I'm still going strong too!

Jervis Johnson is wrong again

I just got around to reading Jervis Johnson's standard bearer article in US WD 361 on page 76 today.   He says, "The days that you had to use converted models in your army, like Aly and I did, have long gone." Man, that really ticked me off when I read that and reflected on all the missing models that we have to convert.

Not so Mr. Johnson, I guess you haven't been constructing enough armies to realize how wrong you are.  I'll rattle off a few models that we need to convert because they don't exist as products by GW Citadel Miniatures and we are not talking Forgeworld models either.  Vendetta, Manticore, Medusa, Hydra, Griffon, Thunderwolf Cavalry, Long Fangs (regular Devastators aren't Wolf enough!), half the Tyranid models in the new book, Space Marine Razorback with Las/Twin Plasma, and the Blood Angels Stormraven Gunship (Don't worry about the Stormraven, I've got it covered for everyone!).

So we, the consumers, who want to spend our hard-earned money on your products (GW) expect that you (GW) create the models for the Codices that you publish. PERIOD.  Stop lolly-gagging around in your comfy studio and start speaking more to the public about what's missing.   If you need help, I'm happy to help.  You know how to get in contact with me!

Death Company Dreams

For many years, I've always wanted to build a Death Company army and now it looks like I might be able to do that soon with the new Death Company plastics now available on Advance Order off the GW website.  The plastics are full of all manner of excellent details such as little skulls, blood drops, and angelic wings. 

 

These models look great and I'm very excited to purchase gobs of these for my collection!

Blood Angel Stormraven Gunship Details and Revalations

I've been thinking about what the Blood Angel Stormraven Gunship should look like. I'm imagining that it will be a flying brick with a few guns and short wings.  It would be a cross between a Land Raider Assault Tank and a Thunderhawk Gunship.  I think the old Epic Thunderhawk Gunship Flying Bricks might be just about right but with the flair of the Aquilla Lander Winged style wings.  That would be right and proper Blood Angel-y.

I'll post up a couple of sketches what I think it should look like and begin building one.  Chime in with some thoughts.

These cool pictures have been floating around the internet too. GW have brought the Space Hulk levels of details to the new Blood Angels range.  Great job GW!

Death Company with lots of great interesting details.

Assault Marines of the 2nd Company (note the yellow teardrop on the right shoulder pad signifying Company designation), with a cool special character.  Note the inferno pistol held by the model in the top right of the photograph and the handguard of the chainsword held by the model in front of the Rhino.

Rumor says these are Sanguinary Guard. I can't say for certain but they certainly are some of the coolest models GW have ever made.  There on tons of great details in the picture so you've got to find all the cool stuff for yourself.

More Lamenters

Years ago on the GW website when the 4th edition Space Marine Codex was released, GW put up some awesome marine sketches.  Mark Gibbons, now with Blizzard Entertainment, was doing concept art for GW at the time, and contributed some great variety to the ever growing Space Marine ideas vault.  One that captured my attention was a heavily armored heavy weapon totting Marine.  This conversion is one of my attempts at playing around with a few different ideas.
 

 I expect this marine to withstand a fearsome barrage of weaponry and still maintain a high fire output due to the additional protection of the shield and armor plating.  

This marine has personalized his equipment with a lone bleeding heart on his knee guard and the artificiers have placed a zorathrax hair crest on his helmet.

 Maybe I'll get around to painting more of the Lamenters one day. But before then, I'll be working on my Blood Angels