More and more details are leaking. Heres the latest from a GW rep talking to an independent retailer:
Ok so I just spoke with our GW guy for about a half an hour about Age of Sigmar. Here are the details:
+All the rules are free, core, unit specific, everything- The core rules are very simple but the complexity comes with each unit getting its own individual "Warscroll." The warscrolls will detail what each unit can do, its stats, etc. All the warscrolls and the core rules will be made available for free download starting on July 4th.
+The game can be played with all existing models in the warhammer fantasy range. There is no strict force organization chart. You could make an unbound army but there are benefits for taking units of the same faction. There is increased synergy and interplay between units of the same faction (Chaos, Elves, etc).
+ There is a lot more synergy in general in the game. The Khorne banner guy you see in the pictures has the ability to plant his banner in the ground and create a warp rift where every Khorne unit within 12 inches of the banner gets all sorts of nasty benefits.
+The starter box is 100 bucks after discount at TJs. It comes with 47 new models, 96 page Age of Sigmar Book, dice, measuring sticks etc. It comes with two armies Warriors of Khorne and a new army (Stormcast Eternals). He said the pictures floating around don't really do them justice and that they were the best quality plasics he has ever seen (he got the chance to construct, paint, and play with them last week). That sounds like a sweet week at work! smile emoticon
+The Stormcast Eternals are warriors of the warhammer world that Sigmar saved before the destruction of the mortal realm. They are then reincarnated as demigods keeping some of their previous personality. Every time they die, he resurrects them and they lose a bit of their individuality of their first life. This will explain how we will see heroes and villains that were important figures in the Warhammer World before hand. Apparently the guy riding the drake is one of the previous characters but his identify isn't revealed yet.
+There will be a bunch of new armies coming from the 9 realms of the game world. Some of the realms are familiar (Death, Beasts, Chaos, Heavens, etc). Each realm will have familiar armies coming from it, as well as new ones (like the Stormcast Eternals). I am guessing my beloved Greenskins are in the Beasts realm!
+The white dwarf next week comes with a new Stormcast Eternal Mini.
+The game while having skirmish elements is not just a skirmish game. Large scale battles are completely doable and actually will have a lot more interplay and intricacies due to the layers of synergy with the individual warscrolls for all the units.
+Bases don't matter. Measuring is done model to model (center mass I imagine). Bases are purely for aesthetics.
+He made a comparison to X-Wing where the core rules are simple and fun but the unit specific rules are where the game really comes to life.
+Premeasuring is still alive and well.
+There are fluffy faction specific rules that make armies play how you would imagine. He used an example of how Khorne units have the ability to take a death blow. When a khorne model dies they can get a last gasp strike as they fall.
+He said the game plays faster than WHFB, is simple at its core, but complex once you start throwing in all the unit specific rules. He said it would be much easier for new players to get into the hobby and the themed armies have really cool things up their sleeves.
All in all I am really excited. Putting all the rules out there for free, making any regiment box in effect a starter box, and keeping large scale battles relevant are smart moves. I cannot wait. We will be having some Age of Sigmar stuff going on in the run up to the Launch Party. More details to follow! Everyone will be able to start playing AoS on the fourth of july without spending a penny.
I'm a sucker for a good sales pitch, but this is getting exciting. I am looking forward to the new edition. A lot of people are talking it down as a skirmish game, but I am not really reading that out of all the rumours. I still think we will be seeing a 100-200 model count armies at tournaments. There appears to be the potential for more depth than 8th edition.
It will also match the rapid launch pattern GW uses now, without having to stock outdated rule books.
Me too! A few of us are super excited about this. We have our square base armies of course, but we are suckers for new fluff. So sue me :)
ReplyDeleteI'm liking the glass half full aproach there tim I'm quite keen to give it a fair shake.
ReplyDeleteHappy to give it a go too if my collection does not instantly become obsolete or outclassed.
ReplyDelete... so we're going to be seeing statline (War scroll) updates for all our existing (historical) models ? Yea right.
How do we define existing ? Everything that has not been pulled off the shelf ?
Ps Nice scoop, Jossy!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've read so far, the only real difference is formations/movement. No more marching but running like 40k. We don't know if there will be any bonuses for numbers which could substitute rank rules.
ReplyDeleteThis game will only be what we make of it. Someones got to wave the positive stick right...
I'm dying to know how army composition and army list building works. Also, my brets will look goofy in skirmish formation.
ReplyDeleteJossy, Under Battleshock it clearly states that for every 10 models in the unit (presumably at the time of the test) you add one to your bravery characteristic. Therefore a morale bonus based on unit size... Rules have a lot in common with elements of 40k sure, but also look at Kings of War, Lion Rampant and Saga (two historical skirmish sets) and you'll see similarities too.
ReplyDeleteAnd Warmahoards, LotR... many others in there too. Almost smells like GW went out and picked some rules from every system in the market place...
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