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.

I don't mind them, but some are better than others. I laughed at this months one though - talking about Disassociated Game Mechanics during the Storm of Magic push along with a Battle Report where the Empire summon Daemons - you'd think Gelt would be executed - Magnus the Pious would not have been impressed for sure & just what would Sigmar have said?

Mind you I'm just burned that they didn't take the opportunity to release a new Nagash model and rules - it's clear what Warhammer needs is an advancement of the story line where these legendary enemies come back (and it could always use a level 5 or 6 uber-Wizard ), where Chaos Dwarfs get made into plastic and where they release Cathay as a new army with Chinese style dragons, ass-kicking Monks and Samurai - but we get a new edition instead with the new or updated releases that will take 5-8 years to complete before starting the cycle all over again before they ever think about expanding the world. Hell, Quest would have been a more welcome release than Storm of Magic at this point So that's my morning rant done

Like I said I don't mind it at times, at other times it's pretty pointless.

I'd be up for a bit of Blanchitsu, Nelson's Column, Merrettocracy, Kelly's Heroes, Goodwin's Law etc.

Add Kirby's Greed to that list and it's faultless

warspawned wrote:it's clear what Warhammer needs is an advancement of the story line where these legendary enemies come back (and it could always use a level 5 or 6 uber-Wizard ),

Yeah!

warspawned wrote:where Chaos Dwarfs get made into plastic

Yeah!!

warspawned wrote:and where they release Cathay as a new army with Chinese style dragons, ass-kicking Monks and Samurai

Ye-- oh. No, that'd be terrible. Never been keen on expanding the size of the setting, I prefer the East to be mysterious and unknown. But, hey, that's a personal taste thing. The other two things are objective fact.

From what Standard Bearers I've read, I agree with your take on it, warspawned. Although it often feels like he's working for a different company. Perhaps one that was around about, say, ten years ago?

I did like his standard bearer not long ago were he talked about friendly gaming. Really struck a cord with me to be more of a friendly gamer, even in the tournament world. But other than that most of his articles are just him blabbing on about the past. I get the imppresion that he does'nt like the "new" games workshop.

But you would think if he didn't like GW and the company it had become, he would just up and quit.
I'm sure Mantic would take him on before his P45 was in the post?
At least he would be free of these perceived shackles that GW seem to have put on him. After all, you don't become a bad writer overnight, do you?

Carmine the Wolf wrote:It's not that I want him to change the world every month, but there must be something that goes on at GWHQ that would be more interesting than his chuntering on about how much fun he had updating an ancient WHFB campaign scenario for the modern rules.

Probably, but if there is then we're not allowed to hear about it.

Every once in a while he has a guest writer filling in for him, those are fun to read.

as you and few other people said- he is an expert at saying nothing using many words.

I really like his columns especially on the one about paring time for painting. Thanks to that I get 2-3 hours extra painting in every wee so I'm a happy khorne man

His best article recently in my view was his favourite miniatures, but one thing I am started to get a little tired of is even JJ is starting the plug GW stuff in his articles. I am quite a new WD subscriber and I might cancel the subscription as half the mag at least is useless to me.

I agree, John Blanche's Standard Bearer did have more aspects of the hobby, and Jervis doesn't tend to have a conclusive point.

I still remember reading my first Blachitsu. Oh, those were the days...

I think the whole mag is a complete bore its just blatant advertising through out ok I picked up this months and will pick up next months to see the SOB list.

When I was younger and did not have my head screwed on right I went out and spent all my money on GW stuff, now who has not done that?

Leigen_Zero wrote:

As for the whole AGM/DGM mechanic argument, I perceived that JJ was pro-AGM (hence the title 'avoid dissociative game mechanics, but mindful of the fact that you need a balance of the two to create a game that is actually playable.

Saying =/= doing. I can tell you that I'm a democrat til the day I die, but that doesn't make it true. In fact I'm registered republican (and disgusted) and probably won't vote for a democratic candidate. The bukes JJ has written in the past are drier than the sahara.

You know, I actually look forward to the Standard Bearer article, just because I know it is the one part of the magazine that will have some interest to me, especially in the issues that wind up being Fantasy or LOTR heavy. In fact, if there is one part of WD that has a ghost of a chance of being geared toward gaming in general (and not just the GW Hobby), it is Standard Bearer.

I suppose I'm just a sucker for ramblings and musings, but I find Jervis's writing style to be engaging and conversational. Is he some great gaming guru or philosopher? No, but at the same time his passion and enthusiasm for gaming comes across in his columns, and more than one has struck a chord with me and helped me realize why I enjoy wargaming so much.

sarpedons-right-hand wrote:But you would think if he didn't like GW and the company it had become, he would just up and quit.
I'm sure Mantic would take him on before his P45 was in the post?
At least he would be free of these perceived shackles that GW seem to have put on him. After all, you don't become a bad writer overnight, do you?

Yes and no, I'm sure he would stay in the job because he likes it. Although he does'nt like games workshops "new" moto, I'm sure he still really enjoys his job and hobby. The buisiness side he has no interest or partake in, so I am sure he still enjoys writing and creating games.

Kaldor wrote:I think you're being far too utilitarian in your view. The point of the article is the same as having a yarn to someone at the local games club. It's just about idling the time away in a hobby related matter. And the point of writing a letter would be the same. Simply saying "Hey Jervis, liked that last article! Ps, thanks for Bloodbowl!"

It doesn't need to be any more than that.

If you like the way the column resembles a rambling yarn from JJ's experience then you obviously get something from it and don't have an issue with the article, which is fine.

I don't think I'm being utilitarian in my view at all, and if that is the point of the article then it's not something I've missed, it's simply something that has no appeal for me as a reader.

The article doesn't need to be anything at all, but it seems a waste to me as a buyer and reader of the magazine when I consider the fact that the only time it's ever been of interest to me was when someone else wrote the damn thing!

I don't need my opinion taken apart, I just want to start a discussion on the spread of opinion on the matter.

I agree - sometimes the articles make you think hmm what a good point. Other times you think what a load of rubbish and why did I waste time trying to read it.

If JJ has been there so long surely he'd have more say in things? There are loads of ways WD could be great again but at the moment it really is a flip through and try to find an article to read that is of some interest/use to you as a gmaer. Far too much 'look at the new shiny model you MUST buy - with fifty pictures from every possible angle just in case you can't decide!

I suppose that without his articles there wouldn't really be anything in there to read at all!

On a side note what is GWs problem with spelling and grammar. I've read most of the IA books and balk at the constant grammatical errors/mistakes. As a teacher this is a real disappointment. Do they not have any proof readers?

You're looking for the WD to be thought provoking? They just want to push more plastic crack your way. Other than the occassional rules and painting guides in there, its pretty lackluster.

Tech Guard wrote: most of his articles are just him blabbing on about the past. I get the imppresion that he does'nt like the "new" games workshop.

Yeah, you get the impression that "Grandpa Johnson" is being humored at this point.

I would bet that behind his back those in charge are hoping he will move on to the retirement home sooner rather then later.

candy.man wrote:

H.B.M.C. wrote:Meaningless waffle. Almost as bad as the 'What's on Sale Today' part of the GW site.

+1 to this. You can’t have a decent article without meaningful content. Sad to see how bad WD has become in comparison to 5-10 years ago.

But I think there are some of us who are still entranced by having a solid block of text on a page to read

I find it absolutely pointless, Jervis Johnson with his hypocritical views of you should let people play the game how they want but woe betide you if you want to play in a competitive environment because you should be classed as the devil.

As a competitive gamer and a friendly gamer I believe that there is a time and place for both. He needs to talk about both in his articles.

realised that in the space of those pages the guy seems to be very adept at talking a lot and really saying nothing.

In another life Jervis would have a been a brilliant politician,

The game mechanics article was a joke, Im pretty sure that on some level we are aware some rules exist for fluff purposes and some balance the game, i do not believe that we need the branding of associated and disassociated game mechanics to realise that. What bothers me is that Jervis brings this fact to a light and for what reason? In his mind all of GW'S main stream games are based on associated game mechanics and are inspired by 'stunning citadel miniatures'. Brilliant. However I believe that by saying your games are as pure to a fully associated game can be is a flaw. For instance the game loses a sense of fairness- which is why certain armies tend to do well- coincidentally 9 times out of ten the newer ones. (However all armies can be effective) Associated Game Mechanics are also why certain units are rarely taken, eg Vanguard Veterans, by giving these models associated game mechanics, they become weaker in the game and are rarely used as in effect rendering their citadel miniatures almost useless- great inspiration they were.
I think a game should try to strike an even balance between the two, if it is trying to be used in the same way as whfb or 40k, e.g. recreationally and competitively. Enough associated so that the universe, ideas, weapons and so forth are captured and perform as they should in the fiction etc, but also enough disassociated that one army will not be picked over another simply for its win ratio. I realise this is an almost impossible balance but should be aimed for.
However I believe GW includes about 3:1 associated to disassociated game mechanics and is not as narrative driven as Jervis would like to believe.


Sorry for the rant

Edit:

I would bet that behind his back those in charge are hoping he will move on to the retirement home sooner rather then later.

I get that distinct impression to CT Gamer

I guess so, he must be the last of the old guard left now right? I mean, even Rick Priestly has gone, surely the father of 40k. I think pretty much everyone else (who made 40k what it is today) has moved on to other companies: Andy Chambers to Mongoose and now Dust tactics, Alessio Calvatore and Jake Thornton to Mantic, Gav Thorpe is doing BL stuff. When I worked for an Indie, I spoke to one of the Battlefront (FoW) guys who used to be a games designer for GW, sadly I forget his name. I'm sure there are more.

In a few years it will just be sales guys trying to get matt ward to drop space marines to 5pts each so we need about 200 of them in a standard force.

But, I heard that Jervis was responsible for Specialist Games not being completely cut (as opposed to pushed to one side) by offering to take everything under his wing, and the work he did on some older games (like Blood Bowl) mean that for many veteran gamers it will be impossible to think poorly of him despite what he comes up with to fill the word count in Standard Bearer.

Jervis hasn't been idle though, aside from writing pointless WD articles he is something of a respected big name on the Historical Wargame scene, same with Rick, with whom he wrote Black Powder.

Unlike others, I love them, they tell me inside thought of the GW staff, I look forward to these in every WB!