White Dwarf can cause a lot of passionate debate here on the forums, so I thought a poll was in order to see the general overall feeling we have towards it.

I think it's a great magazine that covers a variety of topics pretty well.

I used to buy them all, back when it was $7 an issue. At $9 an issue, I only buy it if there's something I care about on the insides (which usually means, only the 40k and LotR covers).

Me and mine have almost every other issue from 2000 to 2003, then every issue from Nov. 2006 to Aug. 2007, then several after that up to the stompa issue, and if you read the current ones alongside the earlier ones, there's been a huge drop in quality. There are now few hobby tips, no encouragement for innovation, and no interesting articles. Just a catalog with "BUY THIS!!!" on every page. Same with the website: Only half a dozen good articles, the rest is self advertising.

since its started acting as more of an ad for the product, ive stopped buying it, but i have all of them from 2000 till about 5 months ago

I used to buy every copy as I loved looking at the painting articles and the high level of painting. Now there is very little coverage of events (we ran a 2 day indy GT, had great coverage, sent a crap load of photos, and got a page of coverage heh). I agree that now it seems like its more of a catalog. They need to get back to more event coverage, hobby articles, and hire Dirty Steve back to do his mail articles.

I have every issue from about 1994 to 2003 in my attic. Nowadays it's too expensive for what is simply just a battle report. Everything else I can find out online.

I think I stopped buying it monthly when they dedicated half the magazine to LotR. As a purely 40k player, that left porbably about 10 pages worth reading.

Gotten a bit pricey these days.Sometimes I buy it,often times older copies.I loved the 300th mega issue(IIRC),had a comic about the white dwarf and a story.Also had rules for sea combat in the WHFB setting.I like it sometimes it really depends what is in it,if it something I would like to take a look at I pick it up.Most of the time I just read an article or two in store and put it back on the shelf,but now and then I will buy it.

Its a nice tool for inspiration on modeling, but for $9 an issue I would rather steal painting/conversion ideas from my fellow dakkites. I have noticed to many point value errors in some of the scenarios and well I don't care for LOTR stuff at all. Occasionally I will pick up something on one of the armies I play but not to often.

I only have some old ones I got for free. The new ones aren't worth buying but the old ones are good.

I have about 150 of them (146-300) I don't play 40k or WFB anymore

I don't care for it these days. My dad has some copies from the olden days when it was newer and was a magazine on general fantasy and scifi stuff. They did ADnD, modeling, Warhammer FRP, plot ideas, and all sorts of neat little things. I don't like it at all with the GW tag that's tied to it, especially when potentially less than 1/3 of the magazine is on stuff you actually care about (assuming you only play one game by them). The one newer isuue that I found particularly frustrating was the Giants issue(not sure which one it is), but the whole thing was an advertisement for how incredibly badass these new Giants were and, quite frankly, I didn't care. The whole thing came off as being an infomercial in a book. I'd at least like them to be a tad more discreet.

I'd be happiest if they went back to the generic style, but whatever. Like that's going to happen any time soon.

I used to love the variety of stuff dealt with in white dwarf, like terrain to unique armies and new rules. These days they remind me of the old flyers you could pick up at GW that had snapshots of the models they were releasing and the basics of each force. I almost refuse to go to a GW store these days, mostly due to price and the new walmart sales technique of hovering on my shoulder and telling me about each box I look at. Ive been around for long enough I know what makes a terminator squad cool... I love the photos and the backround look into producing minis and codexs but Id call the article work more akin to fluff these days then actual articles.
I am also depressed as a canadian to see that the canuk branch has all but died it seems. I remember the start of our own being a suppliment that at the time bumped the price from 7 to 10 bucks and issue and then when it became a completely seperate magazine the price never dropped. I eventually started to get a subscription cause it really was the best way to save money, In the last year on two seperate occasions it has stopped being delivered to me. One point someone overwrote my account info and my paid for issues for three months went elsewhere..., then recently for 2 months again this spring and the help line said it had to do with the canadian branch probably closing and transfering all accounts to the states headquarters. The fellow found 3 seperate files containing my name and address... weird, and said for no understandable reson I was missing them. He said if I was okay with an american issue he'd have one sent out right away, and did, in less then a week I think it was at my door through fedex in a giant box. I like you White Dwarf but your subcriptions used to give better perks, your insides were better, and your reliablity was better. If your not careful I may replace you with just my online life, web magazines are getting better and better and can do almost anything. Economic crisis makes life difficult for business but usually encourages better product and work. Maybe you guys should look into that rather than giving me a catalog of your inventory, I used to buy the book, why would I want to get it peice meal every month instead.

I honestly enjoyed White Dwarf when I first started to buy it (1999),but over the years it has become much less informitive and entertaining and more of "Hey kids,buy this!!!" publication.
Now I only pick an issue up if I see somthing really interesting in it.

I subscribe - I enjoy the useful modelling articles, the battle reports are well done, and I like to see whats coming out. I understand Im buying a brochure, but its an enjoyable brochure.

White Dwarf and No Quarter seemed like cool mags to me when I was starting out their companies' respective games (40k and WM)... but they both contain a bunch of content that isn't relevant to what I'm doing... if anything they have nice pictures but I don't understand much of the content. I'm not too savvy with rules and tactics; but some of the fluff related stuff is fun... just not worth the price for either.

never read one, started 40k last year and never felt the need, since i have friends and the internet

i'm also not much of a magazine person in general

I like reading them. I don't buy every issue, but the 'Eavy Metal painting articles are really good and I think that the advertising of new products is a good thing. It means that I don't have to go through all the shelves at the FLGS and I won't miss out on anything.

It used to have a lot of good stuff in it but it's becoming increasingly lame.

Subscribed for life

BrookM wrote:Subscribed for life

Ouch. How much did that cost in the first place??

orkishlyorkish wrote:

BrookM wrote:Subscribed for life

Ouch. How much did that cost in the first place??

It was a gift.

First off, price: I agree that $9 an issue is a lot, but I just renewed my subscription and it was 15 issues for $75 or $80. That's like $5 - $5.50 an issue. I'll accept the occasional LOTR dominated issue for that price.

Second, I know that you can get everything online, but for me, nothing beats the feeling of sitting down with a magazine.

Third, I love Jervis standard bearer.

White Dwarf is basically a catalogue, with some interesting articles. I invariably find that I'm painting up whatever's in the latest one, so to me at least it's a source of inspiration to get in there and paint - including stuff that's just been sitting around on my shelf - so I'm happy to part with $5.50 a month for that.

I admit I'd be happier if LOTR moved to specialist and WD became a 40k/WHFB mag again.

I like reading the German White Dwarf from time to time, but if I was going to subscribe to something, it would be Wargames Illustrated.

I buy occasionally if there is an article of interest.

I like White Dwarf, especially if it involves somethig of interest to me. However the newer ones have less and less interesting stuff on the backround.

You use to get awesome stories with the old ones. (Kharn the betrayer was a good article piece in ages past)

My club has heaps of the old ones that people can borrow so I've noticed this stark difference. WHERE IS THE FLUFF?!?

Also, I wish they'd bring back Battlefleet gothic and Inquisitor into the fold. (just a little bit...pleeeez?)

If they actually had Battlefleet: Gothic articles (or any kind of Specialist Games support, really), I might actually buy White Dwarf every once in awhile (and not just the German issues ).

I think I've given up on the WD. Prior to this year I had missed maybe 3 or 4 issues since 2001. The price of the magazine now is too rich for my blood. Any rumors, news, pictures, etc... can be found weeks, even months, before the magazine is released. For the same price I can pick up a piece of 40k or Fantasy universe fiction for less money and I get more enjoyment out of it.

I think WD passed the point of no return when it became more expensive than Playboy. Come on now, for less money I can get just as interesting articles and pictures of boobs.

I love reading them, but don't bother buying them because all of my friends buy them, if i wanted to read it I could just pinch theirs for a few days

If dakka produced a magazine, I would be tempted to buy it.

As it stands, WD is not worth my money.

Never purchased, mainly because of all the hate I see it getting from people who used to read it. I've thumbed through one or two that have been laying around, they seemed like big long adverts. So I guess I'll stay away until I hear that the magazine is actually of some kind of reputable quality again.

What if you love it but don't buy every issue?

I used to buy White dwarf quite regularly, but can't remember the last time it contained anything I really wanted to read, and so I haven't bought it for over a year. These days I think it's a waste of paper.

The pictures are pretty.

Beyond that, it's of no use to me.

None of the above, I like them but can't afford them.

Back when I first started 40k I loved em and was a subscriber but like almost everyone has said it's just become a infomercial on paper.
I don't even find the battle reports interesting anymore because they are just there to push whatever army just came out. The Lizardmen vs. Deamon BR comes to mind...

The poll is missing a 'I don't hate it, but don't buy it' option.

I used to buy every issue, but realised a couple of years ago that I really wasn't doing much more than flicking through looking at the pretty pictures, as aside from the occasional scenario game or army showcase there wasn't anything in there that I was particularly interested in reading.

And I can find battle reports and army showcases online.

It is not the magazine it use to be although I have a subsciption now. I loved reading the Epic 40K and regular 40K battle reports. I started with 136 and went to about 196 and then bought them sporadically. I mainly got he the sub beacuase my nephew has gotten back into the game now that he is an adult. I don't care for LOTR or WHFB but like LOTR even less.

I am a newer 40k player, so I am unfamiliar with the quality of the old white dwarf, however I find the current ones to still provide useful information and a good read.

I only buy the catalog, errrr, MAGASINE when it covers 40k or has pretty free things.
Edit: or both

Stopped buying it even during 2nd ed except the odd issue that had something useful and I couldn't get a hold of one to photocopy that page in time to use. Even a staff member back them said he put his free issue back on the shelf

I couldnt live without it. I have had subscriptions since my 10th birthday. I luvit luvit luvit.

I buy it when the codex creep is all over the cover.

Wait, that's every month...damn.

This pole could have used more options. Something in between hate it and buy the occasional issue. I went with hate it, simply because I think it is outrageously expensive for one years subscription.

I've also "heard" that the quality of late is lacking big time compared to earlier prints.

Honestly though, I wouldn't pay more than $25 for a years subscription.

I'm not one of those guys who buys every issue just because it's there, but if there's something about one of my armies or an army I am interested in then I'll buy it

and I buy it when there's free stuff with them - like the mighty empires tiles for the release of it, or the free dwarf and goblin for the release of battle for skull pass, although I've never played any of the two...

I've never bought one, though I sometimes read over my friends' shoulders at school.

I love White Dwarf. It's almost as useful and inspiring as Dakka is to me, minus the occasional moronic bickering

Stopped buying it.
But when i did, i bought it for the Battle reports, new models, painting advice, and cool conversions.
sadly all those i can now get on the Web in larger quantites, better paintjobs, and more accurate reports.

I stopped buying it when they got rid of Chapter Approved. Nothing useful in it anymore.

I'm assuming we're talking about the current white dwarfs... Cuz they use to rock.

i haven't subscribed to white dwarf. I have no idea what its for besides wargaming

UberKarnage323 wrote:i haven't subscribed to white dwarf. I have no idea what its for besides wargaming

Ignorance is your sheild, trust me.

Nice Avatar BTW.

I voted blank because there were no options that matched.

I'd love to get it, but I don't have easy access.

Also, I'd only buy special issues covering stuff I'm interested in. (Like the IG "special" they had a while ago.)

There should be an indifferent option. I've never bought it, not because I don't like it, I've just never had an interest. Plus the price tag is a little stupid.

Other.

Haven't bought an issue in over 3 years with my own money (I have friends who used to get me a subscription for my birthday - until I convinced them that dvds would be cheaper and better value).

I prefer to read Military Modeller or Fine Scale modeller for my modelmaking tips and Wargames illustrated for reading about games.

i buy pretty much every issue, and except for the lotr stuff, i like most of them as well...

I started evaluating my purchases on a case-by-case basis when they became 50% LOTR, 50% all other GW games, and quit altogether when I could no longer find something worth having in at least half the issues in a year.

Used to buy each one back when they had good hobby stuff like supplementary rules, chapter approved, etc.

Sadly, I lost about 80% of my collection some years ago.

Thinking of buying the spearhead one, but that's it.

Love 'em and I get every issue (I subscribe). I enjoy reading the articles, though when I compare my new ones to older issues, the standard has dropped. I want Dok Butcha back.

I like to read it when they aren't talking about fantasy and lotr. SHUT UP!!!!I don't give a crap about these. Stop wasting my time and show me moar 40k models!

Seriously, I'd buy every issue if it was a dedicated 40k magazine. The only reason I don't buy is because most of it is fantasy. What they do cover on 40k I digest like crazy.

I'm considering buying it. I only started 40K in February this year.

I think the last copy I bought was #95 November 1987 with the Flexi-Disc of 'Blood for the Blood God.' So you might say I don't buy it very often.

I don't "hate" White Dwarf... And I play 40k, which it covers, but I just never get around to buying them....

If something piques my interest I may pick up the latest copy, but most times do not.

No option in the poll fits me. Never looked through one, so I don't know what the quality is like. I do, however, play 40K so the only non-reading answer doesn't apply. I simply don't have access to older issues to form an opinion, since I alternately don't have or won't spend the money to pick up a newer issue.

I bought one issue and get the rest free ONLY because know some of there stuff just looks like it was made at the last minute

Its far too expensive for me

I'm missing an "Other" option. Since I don't buy it but not because of the reasons given, I'm just not interested in the paper but more interested in the online communitites since I think they're better 'bang for the buck'

I voted "Hate it, I never buy it!".

I don't hate it though, but the other options describe actually buying it occasionally or frequently, which I don't. I don't *hate* it because I don't ascribe those sorts of strong feelings towards it, I'm not angry, I'm just not interested in it.

It is a load of rubbish that serves as little more than a series of adverts which they expect people to pay for. I did have WD frequently as a youth, and have a run of issues from about #110-140 which were mainly bought for my dad which I read, and later #200-250 which I mainly read. I picked up back issues to plug the gap. After #250 my interest began to wane and I picked up occasional issues when they had articles that interested me. Today they have none and have not for years IMO. You could plot the decline in quality across the years and see that it went downhill when I was buying it. Now it's not worth the paper let alone the £4.50 they now charge. Waste of time as far as 'hobby' magazines go, if it's the latest products you want they can all be found on the internet.

i buy only when the magazine and articles are heavily saturated in 40k. Otherwise I dont bother. Although after buying it this month, ive come to realise that I could buy a jet bike or another character if I spot another 6-7$, so im not buying them anymore

I buy them from time to time. usually when it catches my eye or is heavily themed around 40k. i don't have nearly enough models to do WHFB but i'm sure when i get into the game in earnest, WD will be more appealing to me

I used to buy it regulary, but around it just became too comercial for me, and when I got around to buy a copy years later I found that gone was all the fluff articles, replaced by one sided battle reports premoting the latest armies and useless bunk. It used to be a good read, and I still have a good number of issues, but after Fat Bloke left it seems the later editors abandoned his dogma of a magazine by hobbyist, for hobbyists. ¬¬

I love WD. I buy every issue and have for the last 8 years. I must say though that the general standard of the magazine has slowly decline over the last 10 years.

When it was cheaper I bought it a lot.

Nowadays I only buy it if there's something that perks my interest.

Not worth the price for what it offers, in my opinion.

I wanted to vote twice: Before $9 price= Loved it, bought every issue @ FLGS, After $9 price = bought 1 and saved my money for other toys so Hate it !(price not equal to value to me)

Well I was gonna subscribe to it until I found out the subscription was over $100... REALLY, GW?!

Personally, I am undecided on whether WD is good or not. I tend to see what is in next moths issue (there is a little description of it on the GW home page). I remember some of the issues were fantastic for me, the issue that focused on the new BA releases is one of my favorites as well as the apocalypse one. Other issues such as the new daemon release were awful, and seeing as I do not collect fantasy or LOTR, a big portion of the magazine is useless to me. The one sided battle reports were the new army's beat an old one is also quite dull. If WD were purely 40k based, I would be getting every issue!

I keep buying them, and every time I buy one I feel more and more like a smack addict buying heroin that is more and more cut down. Maybe I just miss the good old days of white dwarf, or maybe GW is cutting white dwarf with more and more baby powder.

Maybe GW should publish errata and FAQ in white dwarf and on the web sight. If GW published this weeks BT and DA FAQ in white dwarf and then waited 3 weeks later to publish it on the web sight people would have dropped dead on an overdose of pure white dwarf.

Stopped collecting and reading about two years and a couple price increases ago!

It's a sales ad (I can see all the new and old stuff on the GW site).

Nationally print magazines have been on the decline and those that are surviving almost give you a subscription at cost!! GW's is way overpriced.

I am struggling with it to be honest, I still buy it but instead of pouring through it like in the good old days, It is read cover to cover in about an hour then tidied away rather quickly, my two sons love reading it and price wise I also go for the subscription....just seems to have lost a bit of its 'soul'......needs stronger in depth articles to get the desire to pick up a paint brush and start cranking out new projects again. A bit too Ad'sy sometimes and quite slow due to the slow down in GW time scale for releasing new and exciitng projects, not just adding to recently released armies and stretching out as ong as possible. Shame as it used to be the monthly wargaming item that everyone used to look forward to. Especially when then internet didnt have all the information about whats going to be in it!
Maybe I am just getting old....................?

I've never really understood the point of it. I don't 'hate' it, but I don't buy it either. Its way too expensive, so are the models, but at least I can do something with the models and they hold some value. If WD was down around/below 5$ I might buy it when there is good 40k stuff in it (pics, upcoming news, etc), but its not, so I won't.

To me WD is like GW stores. I've never been in an actual GW store, and don't see a purpose for their existance when FLGS often have a better atmosphere than GW stores (from what I've heard), have more variety, and provide the same tournaments/services. Why get a WD when they're shockingly overpriced and I can get everything I need from the web and friends?

I really liked reading it and buying it prior to about issue #310.

Back then the wordcount was high, the font was small and there were some really good reads in there.

After that point, the wordcount dropped massively and the magazine became filled with generic text, massive pictures and way too much white space.

Articles about converting models were removed in place of dumb pictures of all the components on a particular sprue. Battle reports were glossed over. Painting articles were reduced to adverts for X hobby item or the far-too-advanced eavy metal guides instead of solid advice for painting models to quality tabletop standard.

In short, it used to be really good. Hasn't been for many years though.

WD isn't worth the money. There is nothing on it that isn't already on the internet.

I've never bought/read one...so I didn't vote

Back when they used to have variant army lists, scenarios, cool card scenery to assemble...what's the word? Oh, yeah, CONTENT!!!

Yeah, I used to love it back then. It hasn't been worth a damn for at least ten years. Last issues I bought were the ones with the Blood Angels codex spread over two issues.

white dwarf is kinda meh. i mean the primary function of the magazine is to serve as a giant advertisement for their products, but it's okay for random battle reports and hobby tips.

It has some good articles in it, but it's just a £5 advert really.

I get it when something is free,or when the rules for a model I like is in it.

It's an overpriced catalog lacking in any true value for the reader.

I havent bought (or even looked at) an issue of WD since around 2000, maybe early 2001.

From what I understand there is really no reason to change this. Shame really, I used to love the articles on how to scratch build terrain, the battle reports, etc.

Its not as good as it used to be, but its still mint, its all about our favourite hobby!

Well.. and some adverts.

I get it every month, but I don't have to pay for it, so its not really something I need to consider.

If the shop couldn't get them anymore, and I had to actually buy it elsewhere, I'd probably only get 40K focused issues.

It's an almost good magazine. I'd buy it every month if it was £3, or if they did more things like the Nightspinner (which was a very good issue).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
It's an almost good magazine. I'd buy it every month if it was £3, or if they did more things like the Nightspinner (which was a very good issue).

I use to buy it regularly and even subscribed for a few years. They used to give you some pretty cool stuff when you would subscribe, I got a free game of advanced space crusade once! Somewhere I have an old mail in card where a subscription was only $20, there is no expiration date on it, found it in my box of TROLLS IN THE PANTRY (anyone remember that). I would wonder if they would still take it, but honestly after looking at a few of the latest issues I don't know if its worth that much.

I like the magazine, even so I think the more recent editions are all about the "new, great, amazing things" they have to offer and (IMHO) far too little about painting techniques and such.

the standard of white dwarf has dropped over the years, I miss when thay had bits of story and the cool conversions.
when will GW just drop LOTR?

I used to subscribe to WD for almost 4 years, but I didnt re-sub at the end because It had just turned into self advertising, predictable battle reports, and they really cut a lot of the converting/non-profitable articles out.

A good example of this is that they used to feature armies from non-GW employees that were particularly well themed or converted.

Now its just an expensive waste of time. Sorry if this seems over aggressive but I used to LOVE white dwarf, and now its just crap :(

White Dwarf rules, it is legendary!

Grab yourself some of the older copies and you can actually see the qaulity going down hill. when the ladraider came out that had an article describing its fluff and a cut away diagram of its workings.

Must say it's always dependent on the articles featured. For example, the one I kept seeing was full of Tomb Kings and Dark Eldar - neither of which I am remotely interested in. It's all about what armies are featured, for me at least.

meh it's okay really. I have a subscription so I get them anyway but I feel they lack a lot of LotR articles and would want love more of them. Also they only concentrate on the WOTR stuff which I find is a pity because a lot of people still prefer SBG. Although it probably won't stop me getting them unless I find I more interestin wargames magazine.

I'm sat somewhere between "love it", and "alas".

I have no gaming friends, I'm a lone geek, so it gives me a bit of a release, though I do wish that the content was more akin to that given about 10 years ago. I remember multiple gaming system battle reports, better information on upcoming releases and less ads, for a lower price. Wish there was an altertive or more and better content but WITHOUT the inevitable price increase that GW feels necessary to slam on for any mundane reason, such as opening a window, or buying a new pot plant for the staff canteen.

Cynical mini rant over

Tell me, would you agree if I said that the battle reports are rigged? With the exception of the orcs vs bretonians BR from a few months ago I'm pretty sure every new or updated army wins to show how damned good it is. I only need to see that a BR includes a recently released army to know that that will end up pwning the opposition.

Another good exception was the DE vs BA report, both recently re-released and.... A DRAW!!! Did NOT see that coming!! Lol

kitch102 wrote:Tell me, would you agree if I said that the battle reports are rigged? With the exception of the orcs vs bretonians BR from a few months ago I'm pretty sure every new or updated army wins to show how damned good it is. I only need to see that a BR includes a recently released army to know that that will end up pwning the opposition.

Another good exception was the DE vs BA report, both recently re-released and.... A DRAW!!! Did NOT see that coming!! Lol

Absolutely, but I think they play as many battles as it takes until the new army wins. They then publish that report.

I miss old White Dwarf.

Other. I used to buy it when it was still a hobby magazine. Sadly it was changed into an overpriced advertising magazine.


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kitch102 wrote:Tell me, would you agree if I said that the battle reports are rigged? With the exception of the orcs vs bretonians BR from a few months ago I'm pretty sure every new or updated army wins to show how damned good it is. I only need to see that a BR includes a recently released army to know that that will end up pwning the opposition.

Another good exception was the DE vs BA report, both recently re-released and.... A DRAW!!! Did NOT see that coming!! Lol

I absolutely agree with you. The HE army in the Blood Island WD had twice as much points as the Skaven army.

I moved about 10 years ago from england to Ireland and haven't bought it since then. The net is a far better source of articles and paintjobs.

I wonder if GW take any notice of the forums............ I think they should

Alas, there is no other alternative was my response. I've had a subscription for the past 2.5 years, and even in this reasonably short time ive noticed a decrease in quality. Very few have any painting help in them, or even tactics, and it always focuses on the new, shiny things, never paying attention to older armies. I am also pretty sure the games are rigged, if not point wise. They play multiple games until current army comes out on top, or there is a favourable outcome. I wish they would just produce multiple magazines as well, so I could get the ones Im interested in. As in they produce a magazine for each system, with a few generic articles.

I love every other issue of White Dwarf. A lot of issues just don't cover anything I care about.
I'm fine with the amount of advertisements, It is their magazine after all. But I will not pay the outrageous cover price of $75. That's WAY too much when most magazine subscriptions cost around $30 per year.

I wouldn't say that I hate it, but I've never bought one and doubt I ever will.

There should be another option. "I don't/haven't bought it"

I used to love White dwarf back when it was full of awesome hobby stuff. Lately I haven't been buying it, the last one I bought was when Dark Eldar were recently released. I'll be buying the August/September issues just for the Vampire Counts rules and the Sisters of Battle Codex.

Buy one every now and then...some issues I just don't care about ie the new fantasy starter set issue. I play DE only in fantasy and mostly 40K...so pass.

Wargames Illustrated is 1000x's better then White Dwarf, Because Wagames Illustrated covers plenty of different games...not just 3....has advertisements of discount online retailers. It's a great magazine

And for people who said there was no alternative, all you have to do is look instead of sitting around thinking WD is the only wargames magazine out there...

Deff Dread red Edition wrote:Gotten a bit pricey these days.Sometimes I buy it,often times older copies.I loved the 300th mega issue(IIRC),had a comic about the white dwarf and a story.Also had rules for sea combat in the WHFB setting.I like it sometimes it really depends what is in it,if it something I would like to take a look at I pick it up.Most of the time I just read an article or two in store and put it back on the shelf,but now and then I will buy it.

Yeah, issue 300 in the US had the rules for Movie Space Marine, a kill team campaign, tons of articles on conversions and lots more besides.

Very old issues tended to have loads of converting and painting articles in them as well as actual new rules for the games they supported (like Necromunda scenarios, Space Hulk missions, Tyranid 40k rules, Space Wolf fluff/rules and even rules and hobby articles on Ork Genestealer Hybrids). They even occasionally had whole games in an issue of White Dwarf (I rather enjoyed Warmaster game- the Horus Heresy tie in).

Things that I'm honestly interested in are rarely found in WD these days.

I like it but can never bring my self to actually pay money for one.

I enjoy it for the most part. I do agree it used to be alot better (more painting/modeling articles and fluff). I also agree that it does seem to be just a whats the newest thing showcase as of recent. Which is fine sometimes but a whole issue of nothing but Dreadfleet more or less..... ugh.

Well in the case of the new WD with Dreadfleet,it was great.
Painting guide and how to subassemble the ships was really helpful.

I used to buy them religiously, about 3 years ago. I'd love to spend days reading over the articles and checking out awesome conversions, new experimental rules, new release teasers, or army paintjobs. Now I am done with an issue before a trip to the can is. That is sad.

I still pick it up and flip through the store copy or someone else's in hopes that GW gets there head outta their asses. Alas...

It rarely covers a topic that I can't get here or BoLS, etc. So I rarely get it.

I usually just buy it when theres something in it that interests me.. Way to overpriced to buy regularly IMHO.

I think if you pic up a white dwarf from 3rd edition 40k or even fantasy. Then you will see a decline in quality. Sometimes they push something good out put in the last year I haven't bought a white dwarf.

So... much.. advertising!

I used to buy them but now their is not much mention of my armies and Im getting sick of the GW propaganda

I'll start buying them again if they start putting masterclasses back in them.

I have bought exactly 4 issues. The first two were when they did the BA codex, which irked me to no end and ended up costing as much as a codex. The last two were for SoB, which irked me to no end and ended up costing as much as a codex. That being said it did get me to pay $40 dollars for their advertising and really bad advice, so I supposed that makes GW happy. I really think that it is a terrible deal since you are paying $10 to be advertised to, and the gameplay articles are worse than no advice, and the fluff articles are usually sub-par. Since the armies I play are BA (since the 3rd ed codex), SoB, and IG; I doubt that I will have to suffer through another WDcodex.


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Put a mini in every issue, just one random dude on his own sprue. The whole rag is pure profit anyhow.

At one time, bought every issue.

Then it became every other issue, every third/fourth/sixth month.

Now it's one every now and then. I think I'm up to one for this year so far.

I would love to put them in my bathroom, but White Dwarf is just to pricey for my taste. If they were just a few pounds/dollars cheaper i would buy for sure.

Deathshead420 wrote:I would love to put them in my bathroom, but White Dwarf is just to pricey for my taste. If they were just a few pounds/dollars cheaper i would buy for sure.

I'm not usually on the throne long enough to bother reading a WD.

Not that it takes me that long to read through it these days (my club has a subscription to it for some reason. Why buy it myself when some other schlub gets it and you can read theirs?)

You borrow your WD from him...cool Also I wouldnt take too long in the outhouse either with your funnel web spiders .

A friend of mine gave me a heap from about 1986 onwards and i love them i read them all the time

It ceases to be a GW moddelling magazine and has become a GW £4 advertisement.

I used to enjoy it, but now I hate it.

Read it off the store shelf. If it's an especially good month, I'll buy it for reading on the toilet.

When there are Tyranid articles.

I used to read it for the Call of Cthulhu articles. But that was a long time ago.

There doesn't seem to be a "I don't buy it, it doesn't interest me"/"Meh" option. I don't hate it. Do I consider it worth buying? No.

Used to have a subscription a while back. I dropped it when the price went up and the quality went down. I would pick one up every now and then when there was a decent 40K article. At one point I was even considering subscribing again when they changed the format. I decided to wait a few months to see if it was actually worth buing again. Thank God I did. They quickly proceeded to jack up the price ($9 an issue?!?!) and turn it into a 100+ page add for their overpriced models (with no prices BTW), a battle report with more typos than an illiterate monkey's book report and next to no coverage of their own events. Plus in their batreps, they routinely disregarded rules to make them more interesting. A Valkirye flies directly over a battlewagon to get a rear armor shot? They threw out the must remain more than 1" from an enemy unti rule.

Nozeminer wrote:Used to have a subscription a while back. I dropped it when the price went up and the quality went down. I would pick one up every now and then when there was a decent 40K article. At one point I was even considering subscribing again when they changed the format. I decided to wait a few months to see if it was actually worth buing again. Thank God I did. They quickly proceeded to jack up the price ($9 an issue?!?!) and turn it into a 100+ page add for their overpriced models (with no prices BTW), a battle report with more typos than an illiterate monkey's book report and next to no coverage of their own events. Plus in their batreps, they routinely disregarded rules to make them more interesting. A Valkirye flies directly over a battlewagon to get a rear armor shot? They threw out the must remain more than 1" from an enemy unti rule.

Flying vehicles are allowed to move directly over other units. (5th Ed Rulebook, page 71)

The missus got me a 12 month sub last Christmas, so ive read the last 12 issues, and it sucks hairy balls.

50% adverts, too much fantasy and Jervis writes absolute nonsense that is about as funny as a kick to the knackers.

I left them next to the toilet, but when I go to the bathroom I sit and read the shampoo bottles instead.

I don't think i have ever bought a WD, Most times the only thing good is a codex that gets thrown in, SOB/BA, Or the battle reports. Problem is though the battle reports are there just to show off the new models and doesn't do much in the way of helping people with anything other than seeing the new models. But this poll didn't have the choice of putting "I read free copies and never buy"

Wargames Illustrated still Dwarfs White Dwarf.

I have copies back to the 80s, with the odd gap, but my sub ended with the Necron catalogue and there's no way I'll ever renew it. I may be the only one, I've never seen the point of battle reports, they're so boring. Std Bearer is two pages of inane drivel which could be expressed in two lines and still wouldn't be interesting. I forget how many pages the directory got up to but I don't really need to give shelf space to a list of every GW shop everywhere every single month. Most of the photos of new miniatures are the same as those printed in the codices so you're paying twice. You never see any independent painting any more like Paul Benson's in the 80s. Conversions have died the death. That said, I've had my surfeit of GW now between the high prices and decreases in quality, so I've given up buying the miniatures as well as the magazine, I want something subtle and interesting, not something crass and commercial. Plus there's tonnes more on the internet which is better written, more informative and free.

I have a sub to it, but it's really not that great sometimes... I guess I'm a bit bias towards it.
When it's all fantasy (which it has been lately it seems) it pisses me off, because it's like WHERE THE FAWTY KAY?

But when it's all 40k, I have no complaint. I guess what I'm getting at is it's imbalanced the majority of the time.
I remember recently I went into GW and asked "I thought Lotr was making a come back, but there wasn't really anything in the latest WD?

To which the employee replied "Yeah there is!! There was that ... erm... Battle on er..."

To which I stepped into help and finish his sentence with "... Weathertop?"

"YEAH THAT!!" which made me laugh because it was like 3 pages of Lotr with nothing important... Infact the same thing that was in that WD had been published several times before in the past LOL.

Used to love White Dwarf and eagerly anticipate every issue. I liked the narrative battle reports, the equal treatment of all the games systems, extra rules and ideas, card buildings, counters, wargear cards, campaigns, well-written tactics articles, Index Astartes, the list goes on...

In fact, that made me think: Every now and again we used to get 'book' versions of 'White Dwarf Presents' or 'Index Astartes' or 'Chapter Approved'. Nothing recently. Why? No content.

The recent push on 'find out first in WD' (unless you're a subscriber aka con victim) feels like an artificial attempt to increase sales of a pointless product. Now it's nothing more than a badly-edited, irrelevant, glorified advertising pamphlet that appears to be aimed at 8-year olds... well... In all honestly there's cheaper ways to obtain toilet roll. The Sun, for instance.

What would make me change my mind? A few things:

1) frontal lobotomy
2) a reason to buy the magazine: some well-written articles not available on the internet
3) some actual depth and substance - not 'flavour of the month'
4) subscribers actually getting it early. subscription gifts (limited edition model that you DON'T have to pay extra for)
5) hell, just put card versions of the WFB magic decks in there, vehicle datacards... objective markers, spell effect markers... the odd free model even

Unfortunately, in the age of the internet, magazines have had their day unless they offer a truly compelling reason to read them. IMHO, WD does not.

too much of an ad. I mean if you're going to pay $9 you shouldn't get an ad.

two words: too expensive

for several years i bought every issue - then i realised, how much money i've spent - it would have been enough to buy myself a forgeworld thunderhawk....
Now i'm saving my money for minis (and larger models...)

Sadly it's just become one giant advert, interspersed with the odd article that I'm just not interested in at all. Now it's just BUY THIS NOW!, and don't forget to BUY THIS TOO!

Oh, and don't forget that LoTR still exists will you?



What happened to those epic 10 man Bat Reps and ATO4G's? Or proper, fleshed out articles with short stories and complete rule sets? Or awesome freebies like the Bugmans Brawl cut out card game? Or even the metal Necron? WTF happened!?.......

Haven't bought a copy since 2009ish. My bro buys the odd copy and if I'm feeling particularly masochistic, I'll flick through it whilst I'm on the throne...mostly cos I'm always running out of toilet paper.

Theres no fluff, mostly advertising. Ouch.

(Though 'eavy Metal is awesome! )

I'm lucky, in a way. I work in a store that gets White Dwarf every month, so I get to read them on shift, if it's worth buying I'll use my 20% off

I have 1 issue: 119. I may pick up the issue that had spearhead if I was convinced the article on modelling for the expansion was worth it.