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.

Heard a rumor that GW may be going to a more X-Wing, hordes, etc. distribution method. i.e. Smaller amount of models with a rules card included for that model type. Seems like it would be a smart move for them, but haven't really been able to confirm anything.

I heard big foot was spotted in the woods near my house.. Don't believe everything you hear

I have thought this was a smarter way to go for a long time. I kind of figured this is what "unbound" was really all about. "Unbound" armies make it a lot easier to sell stuff this way. Who knows? That is just the way I read the tea leaves when 7th ed rules came out.

 Chute82 wrote:
I heard big foot was spotted in the woods near my house.. Don't believe everything you hear

Maybe it's just a hope on my part, but it seems like a lot of my local gamers have been moving away from GW products to FFG (Fantasy Flight Game) items, some of that could be that we recently lost our local game store, and the new one doesn't really support GW (which honestly is smart of them, since it wasn't a really well selling item for the first store). Would be nice to see it pick up in popularity again.

Sorris wrote:
Heard a rumor that GW may be going to a more X-Wing, hordes, etc. distribution method. i.e. Smaller amount of models with a rules card included for that model type. Seems like it would be a smart move for them, but haven't really been able to confirm anything.

It's not a rumor.

A lot of the more recent releases have included statlines and some basic profile information within the instruction booklet.

I got a BA Tac Marines box that includes the profiles, and the Fantasy Verminking set, which also includes the rules, so I'm guessing that this isn't too far off base. Reason they're doing it, I don't know and don't have enough info to accurately speculate, but they are

I still hold to the theory GW is simply trying to draw back from retail and sell all online on their webstore.

 Theduke07 wrote:
I still hold to the theory GW is simply trying to draw back from retail and sell all online on their webstore.

What does that have to do with them including profiles in the box?

Why would GW want people to have something like 7 models and class it as an army? That's why I don't buy war machine

Da Stormlord wrote:
Why would GW want people to have something like 7 models and class it as an army? That's why I don't buy war machine

Because people aren't subscribing to the buy hundreds of models at skirmish prices to play Fantasy business model?

So basically they are going back to the "old days" when they used to put the rules and stats on the back of their boxes for that unit.

Or is this more like a separate booklet with the rules in the box, rather than having the rules in a larger Codex or Army book?

 mechanicalhorizon wrote:
So basically they are going back to the "old days" when they used to put the rules and stats on the back of their boxes for that unit.

Or is this more like a separate booklet with the rules in the box, rather than having the rules in a larger Codex or Army book?

With the 2 things I've seen, they're in the instructions for the kits

 mechanicalhorizon wrote:
So basically they are going back to the "old days" when they used to put the rules and stats on the back of their boxes for that unit.

Or is this more like a separate booklet with the rules in the box, rather than having the rules in a larger Codex or Army book?

In new boxes the full rules for the models are on the back of the assembly instructions. I can confirm this is what is in my new Putrid Blightkings. Why they are doing it is unclear but it does point coupled with the rumours to a new way of doing things for GW

I'm all for this if it means the end of mandatory codex purchases.

 highlord tamburlaine wrote:
I'm all for this if it means the end of mandatory codex purchases.

So far, that's not been the case. Rather it's been partly the case that models released outside of the initial Codex/Army Book release have had their rules included outside of the books where they are published as well.

What it does, and I'm all for this, is free them from the "no new models without a new book" cycle of old, and doesn't require people to buy a copy of a weekly magazine (or worse, hunt down or order a back issue) for a release which might have happened 18 months ago.

 mechanicalhorizon wrote:
So basically they are going back to the "old days" when they used to put the rules and stats on the back of their boxes for that unit.

Or is this more like a separate booklet with the rules in the box, rather than having the rules in a larger Codex or Army book?

Well, not really. There is just the single line of stats. Like Skyweaver WS5 BS4 S3 ... Eldar Jetbike. You can't really *play* with that

Frankly, I have no idea why they bothered. If they're going to include stats, they should a 1 page that has the info in White Dwarf, even if it's shrunk to microscopic print. I mean, what is anyone going to do with a statline? I mean, it's not even useful for building the model, as you'd have no idea what the specs of the configuration options are.

I think it would be great if they would include old scool style datafax cards with the models. Nice art or photo on one side and all the rules you need on the back, for quick reference when you play, but with expanded info in the codexes for the folks that still prefer collecting the books

 Necros wrote:
I think it would be great if they would include old scool style datafax cards with the models. Nice art or photo on one side and all the rules you need on the back, for quick reference when you play, but with expanded info in the codexes for the folks that still prefer collecting the books

I think PP & Malifaux have it right. A nice, color card that has the basic info for the model -- worth keeping, functional, and has some art.

Everyone who actually *plays* the game is going to buy the book anyhow.

I thought this was the new distribution method


Free info? Don't think so, Data slates is the way to go!

 Chute82 wrote:
I heard big foot was spotted in the woods near my house.. Don't believe everything you hear

I don't because he's over at my joint smokin' my god damn Cuban cigars and playing snooker with the cat.

Cards do have the problem that you have to print cards for everything, and because cards also have stats and rules, it can be harder to update rules when needed, and there will always be a need to do so in any game.

The best way, and one that's becoming more common in the last few years, is free online rules and stats.

This won't stop book sales at all, since you can make the books a collector's product with extra art, fluff, and more that you can't get in the pdfs.

As for this rumor. I actually think it's true, considering the rumors of what WHFB will become. GW wants some of that income they see games like X-Wing, Heroclix, and various boardgames are getting.

It's not a bad idea in general, however, I'm pretty sure they won't be able to pull any of their original market over in the switch like they have in the past. Confrontation is a good example of this, although GW's pure bulk as a business/corporate entity will allow them to brute force themselves into the market.

I suspect they'll find that their prior tactics of milking the Warhammer fanbase won't prepare them for this change.

There was a rumor that Fantasy will move to more limited edition characters and mosnters in waves, that would fit in with this rumor.

I think if they really want to go after the X-Wing type gamer, they need to have ease of access.

I can walk into just about any bookstore in the area and pick up a set of ships to start with.

For feth's sake, my GRANDMOTHER of 80+ years was able to walk in to a store and get some ships for my cousin for his birthday.

I don't think she can get ahold of GW as easily as a trip down to the mall these days.

Not to mention with X-wing, you crack that new unit box open and your playing in 5 minutes. No painting, the only assembly is the maneuver dial.

I mean, getting into a GW game requires four major factors 1) money (cuz it's fething expensive for rulebook + codex + box set), 2) assembly time/skills, 3) painting skills and 4) time (damn games taking 3-4 hours to play). It's hard an individual whose got plenty of all four these days when so many other past times have you up and running with a single purchase in less than 15 minutes

 Vertrucio wrote:
Cards do have the problem that you have to print cards for everything, and because cards also have stats and rules, it can be harder to update rules when needed, and there will always be a need to do so in any game.

Updating the rules is as simple as putting up a PDF online with new versions of the affected cards.

If you have a lot of changes, you can also go the PP route of offering a 'booster' pack with updated cards for those who want the professionally printed version.

 insaniak wrote:

 Vertrucio wrote:
Cards do have the problem that you have to print cards for everything, and because cards also have stats and rules, it can be harder to update rules when needed, and there will always be a need to do so in any game.

Updating the rules is as simple as putting up a PDF online with new versions of the affected cards.

If you have a lot of changes, you can also go the PP route of offering a 'booster' pack with updated cards for those who want the professionally printed version.

Indeed. There is no shortage of people willing to pay such things, as datacards and dice sell like hotcakes. Now, the datacards make sense since they make life easier with objectives, but I have never bought GW dice, and I cannot really comprehend why anyone spends $15 or whatever on a set of 9 dice.

Wyrd sell updated card decks for like $10 which cover everything for that release wave. So the cost of staying current is nothing compared to a $50 army book, and it allows you to do it in various waves.

@Talys: Because their inner magpie demands that they have something shiny and new.

Standard-size sleevable cards would be the best route.