Age of Sigmar - future rules?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Azeroth**

I was talking to someone at my LGS and he said that AoS will eventually have three tiers of rules - the basic starter rules are what was released. Then there will be 'advanced rules' and then tournament rules. Has anyone else heard about this? He didn't know if they would apply point costs at either of the advanced or tournament rule level settings. I'm wondering if GW is using the rules they released as kind of their beta test to gauge how points should go. Maybe GW has finally seen the light and will stop with 'Power creep' new armies. With only 6(?) factions, I wonder if they are going to take the Privateerpress approach going forward and release new things for each faction every year.

**ShaneTB**

In the Rumour thread there was something from a GW rep at the FW Open Day yesterday. Let me dig it out...

EDIT: From the AOS News & Rumour thread:

GW had a guy camped out at the Forge World open day whos entire job was to answer questions and talk to people about Age of Sigmar. His entire job is to go to shows and talk to people about the new game. For the first time I think ever they're taking Age of Sigmar to Gencon, Comic Con, all the major wargames conventions in Europe etc. They're throwing a considerable amount of money at putting this in front of new audiences who have never played fantasy before. He was also brutally honest and didn't dodge any questions and answered everything he could. I'll start with the negative stuff first.

This is it. There categorically will not be a '9th' edition of fantasy. Age of Sigmar is the only thing fantasy related GW will do for the considerable future.

He acknowledges that the 'funny' rules are rather silly and don't make for a great intro to the system for new people. His response was that the armies in the box set don't have the silly rules. They're there as kind of a celebration and final send off of the old warhammer armies, and he said you might notice the new armies don't have the stupid noises or imaginary friends. This is deliberate, its designed that you'll only generally play the old stuff with your mates since it's a bit embarassing to play in a public place.

The new races will look different to the old ones. Ooruks will not look the same as the orcs we currently have. As such, when they get round to releasing Ooruks, the old models will cease production. He did say that you can still use your old models as ooruks, but you won't be able to buy normal orc boys again.

There will never be points values.

On to the slightly positive stuff then.

They are going to fully support all modes of play, and will be releasing rules to balance armies against each other. There will be narrative campaigns where your forces are picked for you for specific missions, and there will be a system for tournament players to balance lists that isn't based on model count. He did not know the specifics of this, but said it is definitely coming.

The rules will always be free. He said that they are very very aware that fantasy had a massive buy in for someone to get started, as such the game was designed with the ability to play it with one box of models. There will be army books, but every rule in them will be available, for free, online. The books will just have extra background info and scenarios.

GW really are trying harder than they ever have before to make this work. If you're at one of the shows go and talk to them. They want to talk to you about this, but especially they want your feedback on it. As he said, this is totally uncharted territory for them and they are totally open to rules revisions as they go.

**oz of the north**

From talking with a store manager that talked with gw, this is it, no tiering, just this.

**Kilkrazy**

GW want to sell models so they need to enthuse as many people as much as possible.

The idea of several layers of rules makes sense from the angle of trying to retain the old WHFB vets. Lots of them are completely pissed off with the various idiocies of the basic rules.

I think also advanced rules are a good way to retain any new players that start with AOS. The core game doesn't seem interesting enough to sustain people for larger battles and long-term play It is a bit more like a snack food than a main meal.

**Klerych**

ShaneTB wrote:
In the Rumour thread there was something from a GW rep at the FW Open Day yesterday. Let me dig it out...

EDIT: From the AOS News & Rumour thread:

GW had a guy camped out at the Forge World open day whos entire job was to answer questions and talk to people about Age of Sigmar. His entire job is to go to shows and talk to people about the new game. For the first time I think ever they're taking Age of Sigmar to Gencon, Comic Con, all the major wargames conventions in Europe etc. They're throwing a considerable amount of money at putting this in front of new audiences who have never played fantasy before. He was also brutally honest and didn't dodge any questions and answered everything he could. I'll start with the negative stuff first.

This is it. There categorically will not be a '9th' edition of fantasy. Age of Sigmar is the only thing fantasy related GW will do for the considerable future.

He acknowledges that the 'funny' rules are rather silly and don't make for a great intro to the system for new people. His response was that the armies in the box set don't have the silly rules. They're there as kind of a celebration and final send off of the old warhammer armies, and he said you might notice the new armies don't have the stupid noises or imaginary friends. This is deliberate, its designed that you'll only generally play the old stuff with your mates since it's a bit embarassing to play in a public place.

The new races will look different to the old ones. Ooruks will not look the same as the orcs we currently have. As such, when they get round to releasing Ooruks, the old models will cease production. He did say that you can still use your old models as ooruks, but you won't be able to buy normal orc boys again.

There will never be points values.

On to the slightly positive stuff then.

They are going to fully support all modes of play, and will be releasing rules to balance armies against each other. There will be narrative campaigns where your forces are picked for you for specific missions, and there will be a system for tournament players to balance lists that isn't based on model count. He did not know the specifics of this, but said it is definitely coming.

The rules will always be free. He said that they are very very aware that fantasy had a massive buy in for someone to get started, as such the game was designed with the ability to play it with one box of models. There will be army books, but every rule in them will be available, for free, online. The books will just have extra background info and scenarios.

GW really are trying harder than they ever have before to make this work. If you're at one of the shows go and talk to them. They want to talk to you about this, but especially they want your feedback on it. As he said, this is totally uncharted territory for them and they are totally open to rules revisions as they go.

Do you think it's true? Or is it one of those lies that sound so reasonable that they can be taken for truth with no real way to verify them? I'm okay with no point costs as long as there is a way to balance it for tournament-like play.

**ShaneTB**

As it's from the FW Open Day, aye I would so say.

**Vulcan**

It's also what they're telling their independent dealers, so it's consistent.

**kaotkbliss**

this bit right here at the end just flat out says that these rules are NOT the final release.

"GW really are trying harder than they ever have before to make this work. If you're at one of the shows go and talk to them. They want to talk to you about this, but especially they want your feedback on it. As he said, this is totally uncharted territory for them and they are totally open to rules revisions as they go."

*edit for clarification*

**Redbad**

So basically, we are beta testers?

**ShaneTB**

kaotkbliss wrote:
this bit right here at the end just flat out says that these rule are NOT it.

"GW really are trying harder than they ever have before to make this work. If you're at one of the shows go and talk to them. They want to talk to you about this, but especially they want your feedback on it. As he said, this is totally uncharted territory for them and they are totally open to rules revisions as they go."

I believe that's in reference to how they will release revisions of the rules but there won't be editions. So we might get v1.1 with some wording corrections. It doesn't refer to a BRB.

**kaotkbliss**

Right, No BRB, apparently they say their rules will always be free online (They could always create a BRB and put it free online though), but since these rules are up for any revisions, then anything can happen with them.

They could stay the same with very little changes, or they could completely change everything.

It all depends on their feedback.

**The Wise Dane**

Redbad wrote:
So basically, we are beta testers?

Better than just accepting whatever they decide to make - We might even have an effect on the game, at last!

It's the Age of Games Workshop! Watch as they rise from the ashes and become a listening and fair company, or crumbles to dust, never to win any favour by their fans!

**bitethythumb**

the funny rules make perfect sense as I assumed they would phase out all the old characters and bring in the new, hence why the "funny" rules are mostly within older models... still people will complain even though they could just ignore it... I for one enjoy the simple rules and the fresh start of the game, ye old warhammer was getting a bit, old...