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2016/05/11 09:26:19
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
RoperPG wrote:Look into groups near you, see what's about and go and have a look.
Ben Curry has just started up a site intended to gather together the fractured AOS online groups, including all the localized FB ones: The Grand Alliance. I don't know anything else, but if you want to find games near you I have a suspicion that's a good part of the intent.
godswildcard wrote:AoS not the ticket? What is then? I've seen Kings of War being played. What's the player base like? What about the 9th age? 8th edition?
I meant to add that the answer to 'What Warhammer do I play now?' may be fairly driven by where you live, if you're looking for gaming outside of houses with your mates. AOS is by all accounts doing quite well in the UK (SCGT, The Grand Alliance and all that #ONLYTHEFAITHFUL business is from there), and conversely KOW is not. Flipside, AOS appears to be struggling in the US while KOW is rapidly expanding ... though possibly mostly on the East Coast? I'm not really sure about other regions and KOW, though Lone Wolf down in Texas just had a superb turnout for an early KOW 2.0 GT. As for The 9th Age, it seems particular strong in the US Midwest, along with parts of Europe (where it's from). And 8E? There are certainly people still playing it with friends and family in their basements - me about a month ago too - but I think the last batch of tournaments that game will see are well done at this point.
It will be interesting to see if AOS matched play can convince people to play it up here in the NE. For the last decade or so we've had a really thriving competitive Warhams scene that I've been proud to be a part of. What's left of the GT's are somewhat awkward events where smaller groups of people play different game systems near each other, while drinking and celebrating in the shared experience of playing games. Which while cool is not really the same thing as a multi-day WHFB event with 80+ people in the mix (And I'm not being too nostalgic here, that was like 1 year ago!)
- Salvage[/quote
*** Post adding this in a quote box....witchery!
THIS IS MY REPLY!!!
@OP - what area are you in? Either way, I echo TGA new AoS forum. It's the best of the best and everything we could ever want. On the intro portion there's a tool like other AoS groups have been using to find players. TGA seeks to be the hub for AoS community so connecting you with resources . Only other piece of advice I have is DO NOT let yourself be swayed, either way, by Teh Internuzz, make your own choice.
Actually, From TGA you can find the podcasts and videos which talk about the fluff and starting new in the game. The free AoS app lets you browse through the warscrolls, so you needn't spend a dime at that point if you are unsure. I echo using a comp pack, even if you want to drop or change anything in it, SCGT or Clash but there are others, using your existing models for a trial game. This should be more toward what you once knew in previous Warhammer structures than just putting down models. Last point, don't buy into this urban legends bs about a hypothetical game where someone puts down 100 dragans and blah blah garbage, that gak just does not happen. It just doesn't. Who owns 100 dragons anyway?
Good luck man and hope you enjoy!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/05/11 09:28:12
co-host weekly wargaming podcast Combat Phase
on iTunes or www.combatphase.com
2016/05/11 09:42:20
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Plumbumbarum wrote: Don't play it, it's obvious from your post that you are made for oldhammer/ 9th age/ Kings of War. You can try ofc as it's free but I don't think you'll find what you're looking for.
To better make an informed decision I think you (op) should also have a look at KoW's rules, which are also free (as are the 9th age's ones).
Also it will be dead in 2, 3 years time. The GW sales were slightly down the year the starter was released despite the 30k box release, it must have sold badly in comparision with whfb starters. Hastings reported that it's doing bad and GW providing points might be a sign of bad sales as well.
These are frighteningly dark portents. When AoS is dead in 2-3 years time, 40k may follow in another 2-3 and then GW will announce bankruptcy. I think it would be wise for anyone to bear that in mind before buying anything from GW as he may be dooming his purchases to shell space and oblivion in 6 years in the best possible scenario.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/05/11 09:42:37
2016/05/11 09:48:28
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Yeah that's why I'm not even rooting for it to fail, especialy that I want sales to go up next to points release for GW to see that rules = sales. Might still not happen though, there are a lot of other, significant problems with AoS from weird rules to empty fluff.
Family friendly Warhammer might not have been that great idea after all.
From the initial Age of Sigmar news thread, when its "feature" list was first confirmed:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
It's like a train wreck. But one made from two circus trains colliding.
A collosal, terrible, flaming, hysterical train wreck with burning clowns running around spraying it with seltzer bottles while ring masters cry out how everything is fine and we should all come in while the dancing elephants lurch around leaving trails of blood behind them.
How could I look away?
2016/05/11 10:01:18
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Plumbumbarum wrote: Yeah that's why I'm not even rooting for it to fail, especialy that I want sales to go up next to points release for GW to see that rules = sales.
It seems to be the case that many people that exhibit distaste of AoS also wish all the best to GW and hope that somehow they pull themselves up from the mud. This is admirable as it speaks of both a good, critical eye and a kind heart. Ok, some people (quite cynical if I may speak my opinion) may want GW to be prosperous so they can continue to buy their models and play their games, but since you don't like them anyway and I firmly believe that all people are innately good I'm placing you among the good hearted folks!
Might still not happen though, there are a lot of other, significant problems with AoS from weird rules to empty fluff.
The weird rules and lore are still there and are still off-putting to the vast majority. Also both are being build upon with each release so the OP may as well be aware of that.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/05/11 10:01:56
2016/05/11 11:35:30
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
CoreCommander wrote: I think it would be wise for anyone to bear that in mind before buying anything from GW as he may be dooming his purchases to shell space and oblivion in 6 years in the best possible scenario.
If GW went down (and I don't think that likely any time soon), thew value of your collection will soar on eBay...
If GW went down (and I don't think that likely any time soon), thew value of your collection will soar on eBay...
Eventually. Like when WHFB went down, collections were worth nothing for the first few months of people dumping stock on eBay. It's worth a bit again now (just after I sold off...)
And only if it isn't resurrected at a reasonable price by someone with business acumen.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/05/11 13:10:12
2016/05/11 13:18:20
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
CoreCommander wrote: I think it would be wise for anyone to bear that in mind before buying anything from GW as he may be dooming his purchases to shell space and oblivion in 6 years in the best possible scenario.
If GW went down (and I don't think that likely any time soon), thew value of your collection will soar on eBay...
Some of it may. The majority of it - grey plastic glued space marines - would be 2 a penny. The vast majority of GW stuff carries no value.
2016/05/11 13:46:09
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Heh, is The Grand Alliance site based on Jive? Thanks for the link!
"Orkses never lost a battle. If we win we win, if we die we die fighting so it don't count. If we runs for it we don't die neither, cos we can come back for annuver go, see!"
I dig how in a setting where giant, muscled fungus men ride Mad Max cars and use their own teeth as currency, the concept of little engineering dudes with beards was considered a step too far down the aisle of silliness.
ADB
2016/05/11 14:08:53
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
NH Gunsmith wrote: Before poo-pooing Age of Sigmar, I ask all of you Fantasy veterans, where the hell have you been the last fifteen years of my life in wargaming?
Since you asked
[1995 (CO) - Scrapped together money and bought the WHFB 4E box, beginning 21 years of Fantasy Battles ]
2001-2002 (VA) - Played 40k 3E with brothers and friends (and Eldar girlfriend ); became more comfortable with LGS play; had earlier built up 500 points of Night Goblins for WHFB 6E to have them all chain panic off the board in the first game, prompting me to give Fantasy a break as I headed off to college next year.
2002-2006 (VA) - Played a little 40k 4E during college, but biggest hobby project was building an Ogres army when OK were released; 7E came out that summer, around the time I moved north.
2006-2008 (PA) - Discovered a thriving gaming group and played a lot of 40k, with APOC proving to be 40k at its best; good friend and I push back into WHFB 7E, slapping each other around but otherwise having few opponents amongst all the grimdark futurists; 40k 5E came out that summer, around the time I moved north.
2008-2013 (NY) - Sick of 40k's ever-increasing competitiveness, I am overjoyed to find a thriving fantasy club in my new city! Played a lot of 7E, including campaigns and my first GT (with Ogres at the tail end of the edition - i.e. I got wrecked and it wasn't entirely my fault ); 8E came out summer of 2010, and first games are tenuous steps into a strange, extremely random world ... We (and the NE GT scene collectively) apply a number of band-aids to the edition, and then played a lot of 8E, including a number of GT appearances with permutations of my Skaven army (none doing all that spectacularly ). I suffer some serious fatigue at the frustrations of playing Skaven + 8E and need a break.
2013-2014 (NY) - Played WMH for a year, crushing all before the might of my Xtremely Red Skorne; became very tired of fighting Khador and Menoth week after week (several players, same two factions), continued work on WHFB dream army: Tzeentch Daemons!
2014-2015 (NY) - Returned to 8E in earnest, embracing the Yahtzeehammer with Tzeentch at my back (AS IF ); after two years of building and painting, the army is finally brought up to strength, where I confirm that it's really not very good, but I've come to terms with the limitations of 8E and perhaps WHFB in general. The End Times begin, and my club's hopes for 9E begin to crumble.
2015 (NY) - I see the writing on the wall around Jan 2015 and begin the grieving process for WHFB; many others (in my club, here on Dakka, etc) hold out hope until the summer, when AOS is presented amidst the slaughtered remains of a much older, beloved game. Y'all lose your minds and then your motivation; I share in the languishing. My club splinters, with most players preoccupying themselves with family matters (new baby girls had been popping up over the last few years) or poking at new games. The couple serious tournament goers play out the remaining 8E GTs and do very well for themselves, while the majority of us don't play anything. I buy an embarrassing amount of Malifaux, which I've only now painted any of I play some of that game, some AOS (go Ogres go!), but in general 2015 is a bad year for me, for hobbying, for relationships, for being alive. It finally crashes to a close (with my fiancee locked in a hotel bathroom in Queens, crying and miserable - End Times? Fakk you, GeeDub).
2016 (NY) - Back to life with a vengeance. Played a lot of Malifaux, a little AOS, and started playing KOW. Scrollbuilder and Easyarmy spark my list-building mind and I start churning out army concepts for AOS + KOW, some of which I've already bought way too many models for Painting and building output has already outstripped 2015 (which wasn't hard, admittedly), with a lot more planned as my first multi-based KOW army gains frightening momentum, and my Skaven are looking to be overhauled yet again , but this time for a game where they can't just blow themselves up every three matches
- Salvage
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/05/11 14:11:07
Mostly missed this thread due to lack of wi-if recently - but in a quick answer to the thread title:
It was off to a rocky start but has improved massively since release and with the General's Handbook and WHQ on the horizon the future looks very promising indeed.
It's my favourite game at the moment, and I am constantly motivated to pick up new projects which is definitely it's big selling point.
After seeing the coverage of SCGT I now want to get into competitive AoS too and will be going to the Bristol Smash in June as my first ever tourney (come say hi to me if you are there).
Bye bye Dakkadakka, happy hobbying! I really enjoyed my time on here. Opinions were always my own :-)
2016/05/11 17:31:33
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
I feel like, in the last year, we've learned a few things about marketing war games that we could have guessed, but that no one had proved, before.
The first, is that players have grown to expect the use of points to balance games. This is true to the extent that we're a bit lost without them, and will invent our own point systems if we have to. While I really liked the idea that you could never have an over- or under-costed unit without points, its simply too alien to be adopted by most players, and cuts out an enjoyable activity for sizable portion of the player base. (That is, designing lists) As a result, its been a bit like when Microsoft put all of its energy into the "Kinect" for X-box, and kept promoting it and pushing it long after the player base had rejected it - I see the General's Compendium as something like when Microsoft finally offered an Xbox One that didn't come with the Kinect. Its an acceptance that, even though we the designers think this is really cool, we also would like our product to be successful.
Second, for some people there is nothing silly or just-for-fun about war gaming. It is a serious endeavor, intended as a test of skill. As a result, attempts to codify silly behavior into game rules (IE: dancing, mustache growing, pretending to ride a horse) will automatically exclude a certain percentage of your customer base from playing your game. I cannot overstate what a sin this is for some people - it will draw wrath such that podcasts will still be mocking it long after you've stopped doing it. Sure, you can just say "well, then ignore that rule if you don't like it so much." But, the kind of person who wouldn't play a game that requires them to pretend to ride a horse to gain a tactical advantage, is exactly the kind of person who also lives and dies by playing a game by the rules. They came to be challenged and win, and they view the rules as the structure within which to do that, not a variable to be changed as players see fit.
Beyond that, I think AoS has found an audience with people who like it for what it is, even with its at times ill-defined fluff and anti-competitive play approach. Hopefully, the inclusion of points and the end of "silly" rules will bring back in some of those left out in the cold by the original release, so that AoS will have a future.
2016/05/11 19:55:03
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Well for me, Age of Sigmar, is very shallow and boring. I have basically gave up on it after my initial purchase of the box set. I got tired of Marines, Marines and more Fantasy Marines. Especially the prices that GW was asking for me to buy. I am not paying $100 for books on fluff.
Only reason I came back was because it seemed GW was changing in 2016. So in January I guess you can say I came back and started buying again. Prices were what I would consider fair and justify in buying.
Then I thought GW hit the home run with the Alliance books. I bought more minis. Sadly what I am seeing now is GW just trying to get rid of stock and the new stuff for AoS is still expensive and no deals for them.
Still, not looking a gift horse in the mouth, I bought a few Start Collecting boxes and my interest in AoS is I am excited for it now. Sadly it's still bland and boring since I still will not buy a book for $100 so I don't know if AoS is bland or not. Not my job to get interested into the fluff. That falls on GW hands.
While they got me interested in buying some minis and spending money, it just seems I am buying Fantasy minis and hardly anything AoS minis.
I almost bought everything for the new Orrucks though. I think that looks like a grand slam. Sadly I just lost my job so I couldn't buy any of the minis that I finally got interested in.
No one plays AoS here. For them it's not a real game and no interest for it, so I just collect and model and paint even slower.
Agies Grimm:The "Learn to play, bro" mentality is mostly just a way for someone to try to shame you by implying that their metaphorical nerd-wiener is bigger than yours. Which, ironically, I think nerds do even more vehemently than jocks.
Everything is made up and the points don't matter. 40K or Who's Line is it Anyway?
Auticus wrote: Or in summation: its ok to exploit shoddy points because those are rules and gamers exist to find rules loopholes (they are still "legal"), but if the same force can be composed without structure, it emotionally feels "wrong".
2016/05/11 20:15:43
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Grabbing some of the novels when you're able might help inspire.
BlaxicanX wrote: A young business man named Tom Kirby, who was a pupil of mine until he turned greedy, helped the capitalists hunt down and destroy the wargamers. He betrayed and murdered Games Workshop.
2016/05/11 21:40:12
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
I was not sure at first, but over time, I'm starting to enjoy it more and more. I like the Stormcast at the start, but I feel like they need more depth, which came overtime.
2016/05/11 23:02:23
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Plumbumbarum wrote: Yeah that's why I'm not even rooting for it to fail, especialy that I want sales to go up next to points release for GW to see that rules = sales.
It seems to be the case that many people that exhibit distaste of AoS also wish all the best to GW and hope that somehow they pull themselves up from the mud. This is admirable as it speaks of both a good, critical eye and a kind heart. Ok, some people (quite cynical if I may speak my opinion) may want GW to be prosperous so they can continue to buy their models and play their games, but since you don't like them anyway and I firmly believe that all people are innately good I'm placing you among the good hearted folks!
Might still not happen though, there are a lot of other, significant problems with AoS from weird rules to empty fluff.
The weird rules and lore are still there and are still off-putting to the vast majority. Also both are being build upon with each release so the OP may as well be aware of that.
Oh yes I am good hearted, tried to fight it all my life but failed I blame my parents.
I want GW to live because I want old fantasy models avilable and 40k ones though, but I also think it's their games and fluff and wouldn't like to see them bankrupt even if there was not a single model or game I like anymore. I'd just move on, maybe deep down hoping for AoS in particular to bite the dust and me dance on its grave heh. Though truth be told, unlike some AoS fans who expressed how happy they are that whfb is dead because they didn't like this or that, I don't think it would be something actualy good, AoS being discontinued because there is a playerbase created and it's always a dick move especialy given the prices and effort required. It would be pure schadenfreude and short lived heh, the right way to fix it all would be to bring back whfb and keep AoS, though I would fear GW ruining the former atm.
What I'd like to see is AoS 2.0, just as simple and accesible but with some mechanics to make it a deeper game.
From the initial Age of Sigmar news thread, when its "feature" list was first confirmed:
Kid_Kyoto wrote:
It's like a train wreck. But one made from two circus trains colliding.
A collosal, terrible, flaming, hysterical train wreck with burning clowns running around spraying it with seltzer bottles while ring masters cry out how everything is fine and we should all come in while the dancing elephants lurch around leaving trails of blood behind them.
How could I look away?
2016/05/12 00:02:42
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Well if my purchase is anything to go by it is not going good.
There use to be alot of local armies, full 3k points worth. Now it is down to people using old models and a 1 or 2 time purchase. There is no reason to buy more then 1 box of anything since it is bring what ever.
I seen alot of games go the way of the dodo because there was never a reason to buy more then 1 box of ANYTHING. I see some game play here and there but no new buys. Doesn't matter how many people play if no one wants to buy any of the models and if they do they buy 1 then done for months.
I use to buy 2 core 1 hero and a special or a rare every month. Now I think I bought... archaon since ....October.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/05/12 00:07:17
I need to go to work every day.
Millions of people on welfare depend on me.
2016/05/12 01:29:40
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
NH Gunsmith wrote: Before poo-pooing Age of Sigmar, I ask all of you Fantasy veterans, where the hell have you been the last fifteen years of my life in wargaming?
Since you asked
[1995 (CO) - Scrapped together money and bought the WHFB 4E box, beginning 21 years of Fantasy Battles ]
2001-2002 (VA) - Played 40k 3E with brothers and friends (and Eldar girlfriend ); became more comfortable with LGS play; had earlier built up 500 points of Night Goblins for WHFB 6E to have them all chain panic off the board in the first game, prompting me to give Fantasy a break as I headed off to college next year.
2002-2006 (VA) - Played a little 40k 4E during college, but biggest hobby project was building an Ogres army when OK were released; 7E came out that summer, around the time I moved north.
2006-2008 (PA) - Discovered a thriving gaming group and played a lot of 40k, with APOC proving to be 40k at its best; good friend and I push back into WHFB 7E, slapping each other around but otherwise having few opponents amongst all the grimdark futurists; 40k 5E came out that summer, around the time I moved north.
2008-2013 (NY) - Sick of 40k's ever-increasing competitiveness, I am overjoyed to find a thriving fantasy club in my new city! Played a lot of 7E, including campaigns and my first GT (with Ogres at the tail end of the edition - i.e. I got wrecked and it wasn't entirely my fault ); 8E came out summer of 2010, and first games are tenuous steps into a strange, extremely random world ... We (and the NE GT scene collectively) apply a number of band-aids to the edition, and then played a lot of 8E, including a number of GT appearances with permutations of my Skaven army (none doing all that spectacularly ). I suffer some serious fatigue at the frustrations of playing Skaven + 8E and need a break.
2013-2014 (NY) - Played WMH for a year, crushing all before the might of my Xtremely Red Skorne; became very tired of fighting Khador and Menoth week after week (several players, same two factions), continued work on WHFB dream army: Tzeentch Daemons!
2014-2015 (NY) - Returned to 8E in earnest, embracing the Yahtzeehammer with Tzeentch at my back (AS IF ); after two years of building and painting, the army is finally brought up to strength, where I confirm that it's really not very good, but I've come to terms with the limitations of 8E and perhaps WHFB in general. The End Times begin, and my club's hopes for 9E begin to crumble.
2015 (NY) - I see the writing on the wall around Jan 2015 and begin the grieving process for WHFB; many others (in my club, here on Dakka, etc) hold out hope until the summer, when AOS is presented amidst the slaughtered remains of a much older, beloved game. Y'all lose your minds and then your motivation; I share in the languishing. My club splinters, with most players preoccupying themselves with family matters (new baby girls had been popping up over the last few years) or poking at new games. The couple serious tournament goers play out the remaining 8E GTs and do very well for themselves, while the majority of us don't play anything. I buy an embarrassing amount of Malifaux, which I've only now painted any of I play some of that game, some AOS (go Ogres go!), but in general 2015 is a bad year for me, for hobbying, for relationships, for being alive. It finally crashes to a close (with my fiancee locked in a hotel bathroom in Queens, crying and miserable - End Times? Fakk you, GeeDub).
2016 (NY) - Back to life with a vengeance. Played a lot of Malifaux, a little AOS, and started playing KOW. Scrollbuilder and Easyarmy spark my list-building mind and I start churning out army concepts for AOS + KOW, some of which I've already bought way too many models for Painting and building output has already outstripped 2015 (which wasn't hard, admittedly), with a lot more planned as my first multi-based KOW army gains frightening momentum, and my Skaven are looking to be overhauled yet again , but this time for a game where they can't just blow themselves up every three matches
- Salvage
Hah, absolutely great answer. Wished I would have lived in your area! Now that Age of Sigmar is picking up steam, I have been working less and less on my Malifaux and Warmachine. Went to a Malifaux tournament last weekend (Perdita and the family crushed it haha), and spent the last two years teaching guys how to play Warmachine and Hordes.
Wish you well on your gaming brother!
2016/05/12 08:12:27
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Oggthrok wrote: I feel like, in the last year, we've learned a few things about marketing war games that we could have guessed, but that no one had proved, before.
Spoiler:
The first, is that players have grown to expect the use of points to balance games. This is true to the extent that we're a bit lost without them, and will invent our own point systems if we have to. While I really liked the idea that you could never have an over- or under-costed unit without points, its simply too alien to be adopted by most players, and cuts out an enjoyable activity for sizable portion of the player base. (That is, designing lists) As a result, its been a bit like when Microsoft put all of its energy into the "Kinect" for X-box, and kept promoting it and pushing it long after the player base had rejected it - I see the General's Compendium as something like when Microsoft finally offered an Xbox One that didn't come with the Kinect. Its an acceptance that, even though we the designers think this is really cool, we also would like our product to be successful.
Second, for some people there is nothing silly or just-for-fun about war gaming. It is a serious endeavor, intended as a test of skill. As a result, attempts to codify silly behavior into game rules (IE: dancing, mustache growing, pretending to ride a horse) will automatically exclude a certain percentage of your customer base from playing your game. I cannot overstate what a sin this is for some people - it will draw wrath such that podcasts will still be mocking it long after you've stopped doing it. Sure, you can just say "well, then ignore that rule if you don't like it so much." But, the kind of person who wouldn't play a game that requires them to pretend to ride a horse to gain a tactical advantage, is exactly the kind of person who also lives and dies by playing a game by the rules. They came to be challenged and win, and they view the rules as the structure within which to do that, not a variable to be changed as players see fit.
Beyond that, I think AoS has found an audience with people who like it for what it is, even with its at times ill-defined fluff and anti-competitive play approach. Hopefully, the inclusion of points and the end of "silly" rules will bring back in some of those left out in the cold by the original release, so that AoS will have a future.
I agree with a lot of your points.
There are different themes in war gaming, one is simulation/game, another is competition/narration, and others. If people don't like competition, they won't be attracted to a competitive game, and vice versa. The mistake GW made was to suddenly switch from one style of game to a very different one.
People like different games for different reasons. A number of users have condemned AoS for being only "an excuse to push models around while rolling lots of dice." But that's what plenty of people want to do, so what's the problem?
Kilkrazy wrote:Not wanting to be anti-AoS as such, but there are other games in the world, that can be played casually and/or competitively.
Perhaps it's time to give up GW altogether and do something more worthwhile.
I've been enjoying Guild Ball and Bushido recently. Both lots of fun and played with between 6 models (GB) and 10 (Bushido). I also found out that I love using character cards!
Just realised to you didn't specifically state skirmish games. Still, I stand by choices
hobojebus wrote:
Manchester a big city with a population in the local area of 2.55 million gets 16 people on a busy night according to staff, I think that speaks volumes.
My local stores a wasteland, my local groups sworn off gw completely.
I'd say aos has been awesome for everyone except GW, I'm sure ffg is really grateful to aos as is mantic.
Only 16 players out of a potential 2.55 million?!
I'm all for cherry picking data to suit my point of view but come on, that's just silly.
There are about 260 people in my office, but I'm the only one that plays Guild Ball. It must be a failure.
Member of the "Awesome Wargaming Dudes"
2016/05/12 12:32:23
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Speaking as someone who deals with second hand GW models everyday, this is simply not true.
The bulk of it really doesn't carry much value - how much do you get for monopose plastic dwarfs that are poly cemented onto square bases? Or badly painted space marines?
A couple of years ago, they'd be snapped up, but I just can't shift them these days.
There's always some gold, like long OOP metal bits, but I've found in general most gamers dont seem to value used plastic.
2016/05/12 13:11:07
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Kilkrazy wrote:Not wanting to be anti-AoS as such, but there are other games in the world, that can be played casually and/or competitively.
Perhaps it's time to give up GW altogether and do something more worthwhile.
I've been enjoying Guild Ball and Bushido recently. Both lots of fun and played with between 6 models (GB) and 10 (Bushido). I also found out that I love using character cards!
Just realised to you didn't specifically state skirmish games. Still, I stand by choices ...
...
Skirmish games are what AoS is more about, I think a lot of AoS fans actively dislike large scale war games with formations of troops in ranks and so on.
Kilkrazy wrote:Not wanting to be anti-AoS as such, but there are other games in the world, that can be played casually and/or competitively.
Perhaps it's time to give up GW altogether and do something more worthwhile.
I've been enjoying Guild Ball and Bushido recently. Both lots of fun and played with between 6 models (GB) and 10 (Bushido). I also found out that I love using character cards!
Just realised to you didn't specifically state skirmish games. Still, I stand by choices
hobojebus wrote:
Manchester a big city with a population in the local area of 2.55 million gets 16 people on a busy night according to staff, I think that speaks volumes.
My local stores a wasteland, my local groups sworn off gw completely.
I'd say aos has been awesome for everyone except GW, I'm sure ffg is really grateful to aos as is mantic.
Only 16 players out of a potential 2.55 million?!
I'm all for cherry picking data to suit my point of view but come on, that's just silly.
There are about 260 people in my office, but I'm the only one that plays Guild Ball. It must be a failure.
You've had someone else confirm that number of players in this thread who lives in Manchester, are you calling the GW staffer a liar? do you doubt the governments population data?
What am i misrepresenting?
2016/05/12 14:03:58
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
hobojebus wrote: You've had someone else confirm that number of players in this thread who lives in Manchester, are you calling the GW staffer a liar? do you doubt the governments population data?
What am i misrepresenting?
I'm not familiar with Manchester, but it looks like a reasonably large place, as with most larger cities, there's going to be various places people go to game. Other shops, clubs or at home being the big ones. They can also buy their product from other places like those other shops or online. Just because there's only 16 people who buy their product from that particular store and play in that particular store doesn't really say much at all.
For one, it's just one city, so even if it's not popular it doesn't mean much, I've been to cities where 40k didn't seem popular at all and I had to travel over an hour just to find a store that sold 40k products. Doesn't mean 40k isn't popular.
For two, there could be enclaves of gamers in other parts of the city who don't buy from or game at the store you enquired at. Not long ago I enquired at one of the major wargaming shops in Melbourne.... a city of 4 million people.... if Bolt Action was popular. The staffer said no, he just carried a few products in case someone was interested in starting a group, but he wasn't aware of anyone who played it and the only people who bought models bought them for other reasons.
....but I KNOW there's people who play Bolt Action in Melbourne, how many? I have no fething idea, but I've spoken to people who do play it, and the people I've met who play it have that store as their closest source of miniatures, within a few minutes drive, but the staffer doesn't even know that Bolt Action players exist let alone that they exist so close to his store.
2016/05/12 14:08:39
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
@hobojebus You appeared to infer it wasn't doing too well locally as there are "only" 16 players (on a busy night) out of a population of 2.55 million (the rest of whom choose not to play because they don't like it as much as WHFB)
edited for sense, and so it's clear who I'm replying to!
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/05/12 14:14:31
Member of the "Awesome Wargaming Dudes"
2016/05/12 14:15:37
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
hobojebus wrote: You've had someone else confirm that number of players in this thread who lives in Manchester, are you calling the GW staffer a liar? do you doubt the governments population data?
What am i misrepresenting?
I'm not familiar with Manchester, but it looks like a reasonably large place, as with most larger cities, there's going to be various places people go to game. Other shops, clubs or at home being the big ones. They can also buy their product from other places like those other shops or online. Just because there's only 16 people who buy their product from that particular store and play in that particular store doesn't really say much at all.
From a visit last year, Manchester has an exceptionally well hidden GW store (we were looking for it, with an address, and missed it twice), and 2 other stores that do gaming stuff. One is a comic shop (Travelling Man?) with a small GW section and no gaming space, the other is mostly a card games place with lots of gaming space, and (I think) a tiny GW section.
So I'd assume that if any AoS is being bought in person, or played in store, it'd be happening in the GW.
2016/05/12 14:20:34
Subject: A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
hobojebus wrote: You've had someone else confirm that number of players in this thread who lives in Manchester, are you calling the GW staffer a liar? do you doubt the governments population data?
What am i misrepresenting?
I'm not familiar with Manchester, but it looks like a reasonably large place, as with most larger cities, there's going to be various places people go to game. Other shops, clubs or at home being the big ones. They can also buy their product from other places like those other shops or online. Just because there's only 16 people who buy their product from that particular store and play in that particular store doesn't really say much at all.
From a visit last year, Manchester has an exceptionally well hidden GW store (we were looking for it, with an address, and missed it twice), and 2 other stores that do gaming stuff. One is a comic shop (Travelling Man?) with a small GW section and no gaming space, the other is mostly a card games place with lots of gaming space, and (I think) a tiny GW section.
So I'd assume that if any AoS is being bought in person, or played in store, it'd be happening in the GW.
Yeah but you still don't know if there's a large group of players NOT buying things in person.
2016/05/12 14:24:14
Subject: Re:A year in, how is Age of Signar doing? Let's explore it together!
Quite correct Herzlos. The GW in the City Centre is a decent size, and the Manager Paul is a great guy (and disgustingly talented at modelling and painting) - no hard sales from him, just genuine hobby enthusiasm. It is, as you say, an utter pain in the bum to find, and really could do with being on a street level.
I was surprised Travelling Man started stocking GW stuff. They're always full of comic book types and that space could be better used for more comics!
Fanboy3 is an odd place. I think that's where MtG lives in Manchester.
Despite your struggles with locating GW, I hope you had a god time in my City
The North West Gaming Centre isn't too far from Manchester, and is arguably easier to get to for people not within the city centre. It also has the excellent, and discounted, Element Games attached. No brainer, really!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/05/12 14:26:50
(And I'm not being too nostalgic here, that was like 1 year ago!)
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