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Something that I found hilariously funny about the new LOS rules and the rumoured GW laser pointer release...

A couple of days ago a law was passed in Australia that made laser pointers illegal to carry (in the same way as knives and handguns) unless you had a legit reason to be carrying it.

I can already imagine the police officer smirking at: "I play warhammer" and happily throwing the book at you (ROFL at the next imagery of the 4th edition rulebook a.k.a phonebook police bashing).

What do people think about GW potential jailing their victims, ahem, I mean customers, in the name of playing the game properly?

I'm glad I don't live in Oz....

BeefyG wrote:A couple of days ago a law was passed in Australia that made laser pointers illegal to carry (in the same way as knives and handguns) unless you had a legit reason to be carrying it.

It's not actually all Australia, just NSW.

And you can still carry them... but only if you have a firearms license.

It's a kneejerk reaction to those idiots who persist in pointing (already illegal) high-powered lasers at aircraft.


So if GW does release laser pointers, I wouldn't be too surprised to see them not actually available to Oz.

Well, let's assume you're carrying the laser pointer with the rest of your GW kit (which would seem the only feasible way to claim you are carrying it for that use).

In that case, if a police officer pulls someone's laser pointer out of their gaming kit, listens to them explain (and hopefully point out the rule that endorses the use of the laser device) and then chucks said person in the clink...

Well, then the problem isn't so much GW's silly rules as the Australian authority's decision to invest patrol officers with independent authority somewhere between an old west lawman and Judge Dredd.

insaniak wrote:

It's not actually all Australia, just NSW.

And you can still carry them... but only if you have a firearms license.

It's a kneejerk reaction to those idiots who persist in pointing (already illegal) high-powered lasers at aircraft.


So if GW does release laser pointers, I wouldn't be too surprised to see them not actually available to Oz.

Hmm I didn't know it was NSW only. I thought it was a federal law. Either way, the large population of NSW would definitely affect their decision not to release them in Oz.


I agree, those idiots didn't get the message after they passed the laws for those caught to be charged with attempted manslaughter.
Everything the government does is kneejerk. Did you see what happened to gun laws after the incident in Port Arthur? Pump action shotguns outlawed ...lever action ok!

Now if only GW can come up with some kind of lever action work around for their laser pointers to sell them in Australia.

Buzzsaw wrote:Well, then the problem isn't so much GW's silly rules as the Australian authority's decision to invest patrol officers with independent authority somewhere between an old west lawman and Judge Dredd.

Well, no, in that situation the problem would be that the person was carrying something illegal without possessing the relevant permit.

Buzzsaw wrote:Well, let's assume you're carrying the laser pointer with the rest of your GW kit (which would seem the only feasible way to claim you are carrying it for that use).

that would make sense to me. Carry it around in your army transport.

In the gaming world, they will stop a lot of "yes, I can" "no, you can't" LOS arguments.

But expect moron gamers to point them at opponents' faces in a pathetic attempt at psychological warfare. And to try to vapourise the unpopular winner of any tournament.

I'm going to purchase a 9mm and use it to check line of sight. It should be okay as long as I carry it in a figure case (which coincidentally, are re-purposed gun cases).

I agree the legal banning is silly, but the law stands. Illegally carrying anything without required permit is grounds for punishment, regardless of context.


Really I'm more worried about the in-game consequences. I'm leaning forward to check models eye view LOS for my lootas, when Johnny McLocalgamer decides to use his GW approved laser pointer to verify that his dev squad has LOS on said lootas. I'm down 1 cornea, and possibly 3 to 6 lootas, depending on the dice rolls...

Who'da thunk?

Oz is stupider about pretend security than America.

Our Air-Crash ratio is a little lower though, because of our stringent laws regarding the safety of our Citizens.

But yeah, a few Morons point them at planes and all of a sudden the Gamers are at a 'LOS disadvantage' in Aus.

But then again, who cares?

Has the GW laser pointer actually been confirmed to exist? It just seems like a really dodgy idea.

No, it hasn't been confirmed. Who the hell would buy an overpriced laser pointer with a GW logo on it? Well, somebody, probably. (sigh)

akira5665 wrote:Our Air-Crash ratio is a little lower though, because of our stringent laws regarding the safety of our Citizens.

Hey, we have plenty of safety laws here in America! They just aren't enforced.

NSW has banned *high* powered Laser Pointers (green ones IIRC) the cheap red ones are still fine however

I have herard no confirmation but beleive the rumours. However plaintly it will not be a laser, just a red diode with a crosshair filter.

A diode pen can cast a fair bit of light, and is safe and cheap, toyshop gimic cheap in fact. With a filter in front of the bulb it will be able to cast a 'red dot beam accross a gaming table with little diffusion. a laser would just be overkill.


GW would not want lasers, for the same reason as the government, and it has little to do with low flying aircraft. Lasers are very bad for your health if shone in the eyes. Kiddies plus lasers equals trouble.

Lasers are also expensive.

Hand held pen sized lasers will not trigger alarms in aircraft, those 'high powered lasers' the various governments have banned are somewhat bigger. They are also too small to fit on sniper rifles. You could of course try to fit a small measuring laser to a sniper rifle, but it wont improve a rifle. You wont notice a difference beyond iron sights range, let alone range from a good scope.

I for one hope it'll be shaped like a Lasgun. That'd be so appropriate.

Buzzsaw wrote:Well, let's assume you're carrying the laser pointer with the rest of your GW kit (which would seem the only feasible way to claim you are carrying it for that use).

In that case, if a police officer pulls someone's laser pointer out of their gaming kit, listens to them explain (and hopefully point out the rule that endorses the use of the laser device) and then chucks said person in the clink...

Well, then the problem isn't so much GW's silly rules as the Australian authority's decision to invest patrol officers with independent authority somewhere between an old west lawman and Judge Dredd.

I have yet to deal with any (male) australian that didn't need to be "dealt with" by Judge Dredd (or a reasonable facsimile thereof.) This is a problem exactly... how?

Vandez wrote:I for one hope it'll be shaped like a Lasgun. That'd be so appropriate.

Not really the "laser pointer" has a better S and Ap.

Vandez wrote:I for one hope it'll be shaped like a Lasgun. That'd be so appropriate.

QFT

We use one in our games, though it's not a "pointer".

Stanley or some other tool company makes a tape measure with a built in laser line projector. Sorta like those laser levels you can get for lining up stuff on your wall. It's pretty handy for LOS issues.

ZF-

Zad Fnark wrote:...some ... tool ... makes... laser line projector.

Made by and for.

Thats not directed at anyone, but when I first started playing 40K a decade ago, I used one. That quickly ended when I realized how easy it was to possibly accidentally shine it into someones eyes across the room who might be doing something at the hobby table or some such.

Yes, only a real careless person would shine them in someones eyes, but I find that common sense isnt as common as it should be.

They are not such a good idea and I have yet to find a game shop or club where they are not universally shunned. To use them, is to be known as "TFG".

I can see the lawsuits from litigious parents rolling in now if GW were to manufacture (read: relabel them as their product) them and market them to the kids they aim their games at.

Pariah Press wrote:No, it hasn't been confirmed. Who the hell would buy an overpriced laser pointer with a GW logo on it? Well, somebody, probably. (sigh)

Who the would buy a tape measure with a GW logo on it? Note: I have one, but it was in a lot I bought off ebay.

Last Saturday, at the LA Battle Bunker Hobby Day, Dave Taylor was talking about the laser pointer during the "Upcoming Stuff" presentation. He also mentioned the crosshair sight, so I figure that'll be what it looks like.

Most laser points (if not all) are in the miliwatt range. They are of no danger to anyone in a plane as far as I can tell.

Having a little baby 5 watt laser, which is about a foot long last time I held one, sure, that could affect a plane - but they don't exactly sell those things at Coles.

BYE

Part of the problem with these little class 1 lasers is that some exceed the power stated on them.

As the victim of an attack with one of these so-called safe lasers, I don't want to see them on a table anywhere near me.

Can you see GW selling lasers to 12 year olds? Me neither.

as long as someone isn't afraid to cuff the git in the head for pointing lasers at others faces it won't be a problem. I can tell you now, that I will be will to cuff a twit if he thinks he's going to walk around and blind people.

Buzzsaw wrote:In that case, if a police officer pulls someone's laser pointer out of their gaming kit, listens to them explain (and hopefully point out the rule that endorses the use of the laser device) and then chucks said person in the clink...

Or shoots said person 50 times. Oh wait, this is NSW not NYC. My mistake.

we used a laser like 10 years ago for Necro, it really didnt help anything, just like, line up and look at the damn LOS, the laser just got in the way.

We ended up taping a dentist's mirror to it, that made it a little more useful.

Blackheart666-
I have yet to deal with any (male) australian that didn't need to be "dealt with" by Judge Dredd (or a reasonable facsimile thereof.) This is a problem exactly... how?

Come to Australia and I'll show you.