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2015/07/25 03:25:51
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
I meant to buy it last week when it came out, but life intervened. Is Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: the Book worth getting for the lore?
As a point of reference, I liked The End Times: Archaon book for the lore, to see how the Old World ended. At the same time, I heard I could have gotten an even better book if I bought Black Library's The Lord of the End Times instead, covering the same events, but in more detail, at a cheaper price.
Just curious about those of you who bought it. Thanks in advance.
The lore is interesting, but very, very summative - it goes into very little detail on specifics, other than those surrounding the special missions included in the book.
"That time I only loaded the cannon with powder. Next time, I will fill it with jewels and diamonds and they will cut you to shrebbons!" - Nogbad the Bad.
2015/07/25 08:45:44
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
On the plus side, it has gorgeous artwork, both photography and inspirational paintings. A ton of it is new, which is just awesome.
The fluff is really big print and big spacing and very easy reading. I haven't finished it, but the backgrounder seems great so far. There are also some great maps, and it highlight of how the campaign is laid out. As a campaign source book, it's awesome. There's a bunch of Sylvaneth (wood elves) stuff, too
On the minus side, the warscrolls are a waste (but appreciated); there are printed scrolls warscrolls with nice artwork for Sigmarites, Khorne, and Sylvaneth (not every model, but it's still cool).
The scenarios are not rocket science (though they look fun to play), and if you're looking for all new extra rules, you won't find it here. It's very obvious that GW loves the storytelling, artwork, and photography.. .so if these things make you happy, the book will give you a smile.
2015/07/28 14:21:48
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
Thanks, guys, for your considerate counsel. I've bought the book, read it, and thanks to your setting of expectations, really enjoyed it.
"Summative" is exactly the right word to describe the overall lore; it leaves a lot of things open-ended. This turns out to be very important IMHO, as the book corrected a lot of false assumptions I had about the lore. For any others reading this, I'm going to describe (without spoilers or IP violations) what the book is like.
Thus, in case any of you are at the same decision gate, "should I buy the book or not, here's some information to help you.
--- WHAT YOU GET ---
What the book contains (260+ pages in total):
80 pages of World Lore - very high level, dealing with not just Sigmar, but the other "gods" he interacted with, all the different realms, with references to pockets of tribes that are descendants of the Old World survivors. But don't worry, there's more to lore.
40 pages of Photos - ok, at 1st I thought they were just sophisticated product shots, like how White Dwarf has become mostly a brochure (there was a time when White Dwarf offered really interesting content or special rules, like mini-codices), but then I realised these pictures showed what the 9 Realms are like. It's a very different world than the Old World or 40k, and very important in understanding the setting.
4 pages of Rules - same as online.
100 pages of Scenarios + Stories - at 1st, this was confusing. I thought I was done with the lore already, which was only about half the book and a lot of that was photos. I WASN'T. What GW did was inter-mix Missions + Events. The closet equivalent is something like Rynn's World (where the Crimson Fists got their Hatred of Orks) in 1st ed 40k or some of the Forgeworld books, where you have a very basic scenario that is an integral part of the lore, that will probably be referenced to in the future. Very important, because it shows what life is like in AoS from a warrior's perspective.
40 pages of Warscrolls - it was a waste...yet it WAS appreciated, as pointed out in the above post. I was looking at the Stormcast Celestials a.k.a. Sigmarines and realising, in the same way we use MEQs as the standard in 40k, these are the new standard in AoS, and they're a little different than anything we've ever seen. It's a little bit "know your enemy", as I feel the new stuff will be like these types of armies, rather than the free online Warscrolls.
--- CONCLUSION ---
Thus, IMHO, I think this book is a must-have for every group of friends with even a little interest in AoS, but NOT every player. This book I just bought WILL circulate among my friends, but I think it's very important just ONE person per circle of close friends knows this lore pretty well.
This is not a rulebook; this is a settings book. The closest comparison is something like D&D Campaign Settings, where there's already existing rules (in the form of the free online rules and Warscrolls)
Just as a little bit of extra insight, let me describe the Before and After of my views on the AoS setting from reading:
Before - I thought AoS was going to be like D&D's Planescape (a game crossing over different worlds), and parts of it really is. I thought it'd be the immediate aftermath of the End Times, like how the Second Founding was just 2 centuries after the Horus Heresy.
(Disclaimer - the following is but one person's interpretation, my own.)
After - AoS is more like D&D's Ravenloft or video gaming's Silent Hill, like each Realm is a reflection of each deity/race that is associated with it. Like Sigmar didn't just make Sigmaron, he wears Sigmaron, it's an extension of his will and personality. In the same way Bloodletters and Bloodthirsters are like extensions of Khorne, so are the Storm Celestials to Sigmar. And these "gods" are as much rulers as...prisoners? And it's not quite the follow-up age of the End Times, just as 40k is not quite the follow-up to the Horus Heresy. A lot of stuff happened in between.
End Result - I'm much more excited, much more inspired, about AoS, more than my expectations. What I wanted was confirmation of what I assumed from looking at pictures. What I got was possibilities beyond that, and I want to explore what happened to the free peoples who are like these post-apocalyptic survivors. I'm much more motivated now to put together a 50 Wound-sized army, AND terrain to reflect this brave new world.
Kommissar Waaaghrick wrote: Thanks, guys, for your considerate counsel. I've bought the book, read it, and thanks to your setting of expectations, really enjoyed it.
"Summative" is exactly the right word to describe the overall lore; it leaves a lot of things open-ended. This turns out to be very important IMHO, as the book corrected a lot of false assumptions I had about the lore. For any others reading this, I'm going to describe (without spoilers or IP violations) what the book is like.
Thus, in case any of you are at the same decision gate, "should I buy the book or not, here's some information to help you.
--- WHAT YOU GET ---
What the book contains (260+ pages in total):
80 pages of World Lore - very high level, dealing with not just Sigmar, but the other "gods" he interacted with, all the different realms, with references to pockets of tribes that are descendants of the Old World survivors. But don't worry, there's more to lore.
40 pages of Photos - ok, at 1st I thought they were just sophisticated product shots, like how White Dwarf has become mostly a brochure (there was a time when White Dwarf offered really interesting content or special rules, like mini-codices), but then I realised these pictures showed what the 9 Realms are like. It's a very different world than the Old World or 40k, and very important in understanding the setting.
4 pages of Rules - same as online.
100 pages of Scenarios + Stories - at 1st, this was confusing. I thought I was done with the lore already, which was only about half the book and a lot of that was photos. I WASN'T. What GW did was inter-mix Missions + Events. The closet equivalent is something like Rynn's World (where the Crimson Fists got their Hatred of Orks) in 1st ed 40k or some of the Forgeworld books, where you have a very basic scenario that is an integral part of the lore, that will probably be referenced to in the future. Very important, because it shows what life is like in AoS from a warrior's perspective.
40 pages of Warscrolls - it was a waste...yet it WAS appreciated, as pointed out in the above post. I was looking at the Stormcast Celestials a.k.a. Sigmarines and realising, in the same way we use MEQs as the standard in 40k, these are the new standard in AoS, and they're a little different than anything we've ever seen. It's a little bit "know your enemy", as I feel the new stuff will be like these types of armies, rather than the free online Warscrolls.
--- CONCLUSION ---
Thus, IMHO, I think this book is a must-have for every group of friends with even a little interest in AoS, but NOT every player. This book I just bought WILL circulate among my friends, but I think it's very important just ONE person per circle of close friends knows this lore pretty well.
This is not a rulebook; this is a settings book. The closest comparison is something like D&D Campaign Settings, where there's already existing rules (in the form of the free online rules and Warscrolls)
Just as a little bit of extra insight, let me describe the Before and After of my views on the AoS setting from reading:
Before - I thought AoS was going to be like D&D's Planescape (a game crossing over different worlds), and parts of it really is. I thought it'd be the immediate aftermath of the End Times, like how the Second Founding was just 2 centuries after the Horus Heresy.
(Disclaimer - the following is but one person's interpretation, my own.)
After - AoS is more like D&D's Ravenloft or video gaming's Silent Hill, like each Realm is a reflection of each deity/race that is associated with it. Like Sigmar didn't just make Sigmaron, he wears Sigmaron, it's an extension of his will and personality. In the same way Bloodletters and Bloodthirsters are like extensions of Khorne, so are the Storm Celestials to Sigmar. And these "gods" are as much rulers as...prisoners? And it's not quite the follow-up age of the End Times, just as 40k is not quite the follow-up to the Horus Heresy. A lot of stuff happened in between.
End Result - I'm much more excited, much more inspired, about AoS, more than my expectations. What I wanted was confirmation of what I assumed from looking at pictures. What I got was possibilities beyond that, and I want to explore what happened to the free peoples who are like these post-apocalyptic survivors. I'm much more motivated now to put together a 50 Wound-sized army, AND terrain to reflect this brave new world.
Thanks for the review, I think I'll be picking the book up at some point.
http://thelaughterofthedamned.blogspot.co.uk/
2015/07/28 19:17:53
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
In addition to the standard 4 pages of rules and the "Battle Plans", you get rules for playing games in several of the Realms. Off the top of my head, I think it has rules for the Realms of Fire, Life and Metal. I might be wrong.
Wizards in games fought in the Realm of Fire all know a Fireball spell, as an example.
So, some of the bonus Battle Plan content can apply to ALL games and not just the included scenarios.
Check out my website. Editorials! Tutorials! Fun Times To Be Had! - kriswallminis.com
Question I have is, do I buy the paper book or get the iPad version? I wonder if the iPad version is interactive or not.
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".
2015/07/30 03:37:19
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
Davor wrote: Question I have is, do I buy the paper book or get the iPad version? I wonder if the iPad version is interactive or not.
the iPad "Enhanced Edition" is interactive, but the "Tablet Edition" is a little cheaper...
both cost less than the hardback, though, which is nice...
personally, i always spring for the enhanced edition, because the layout is so much better than the tablet edition, and all of the little features actually get used, making it a much better buy for me...
cheers
jah
Paint like ya got a pair!
Available for commissions.
2015/07/30 08:12:14
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
Having finished it the other night, I am more positive on it than at first.
It's essentially split into chapters. You get the fluff and then a battle plan to reenact it (or twist to fit other armies).
Now, when I first opened the book this felt disorganised as we were wanting to jump straight into some games. However, having sat down and read it all the way through it does make me appreciate the reasons for each battle plan more. We'll be playing through them all next time we get together to game
I do think it is more expensive than it should be and wouldn't pay the RRP (20% off made it acceptable).
There's also a nice lead up to what the next book will be about.
2015/07/30 19:40:09
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
JamesY wrote: Another book coming out this weekend from what I hear. This cow is getting thoroughly milked!
That's a novel preorder, isn't it?
Not sure, I don't think it contains any new scrolls or scenarios, but a collection of stories about the realmgate wars, so it could be story advancing.
Thor0298 wrote: quick newbie question so in the starter the missions/scenarios tell you what each side gets to use for units. Does this book do the same thing?
No.
It says pick an army. then play.
There are some conditions which will affect your selections. There's one where if your general dies the other guy wins, but if you have another character they can become the general. SO you'd be silly not to bring multiple characters. Other scenarios have hold an objective, get to a certain place, which may change your army selection, but there is certainly no balance as you could end up with crazy, unequal forces, like in the main rules.
2015/07/31 14:19:40
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
Thor0298 wrote: quick newbie question so in the starter the missions/scenarios tell you what each side gets to use for units. Does this book do the same thing?
Negative.
The starter is done that way so you do not have any other components needed to buy. It's literally everything in the box for you to start playing after you build.
2015/07/31 15:58:26
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
Not sure, I don't think it contains any new scrolls or scenarios, but a collection of stories about the realmgate wars, so it could be story advancing.
That sounds so weird. Games-Workshop and story advancing. Is it really possible?
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".
2015/08/01 00:22:51
Subject: Is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar book worth getting?
@Kommissar Waaaghrick - That's a very good summary.
Kommissar Waaaghrick wrote: Thus, IMHO, I think this book is a must-have for every group of friends with even a little interest in AoS, but NOT every player. This book I just bought WILL circulate among my friends, but I think it's very important just ONE person per circle of close friends knows this lore pretty well.
I agree totally! I have already finished mine (only skimming the scenarios), and lent it out to a friend. It's very easy reading, and I found it entertaining/interesting.
End Result - I'm much more excited, much more inspired, about AoS, more than my expectations. What I wanted was confirmation of what I assumed from looking at pictures. What I got was possibilities beyond that, and I want to explore what happened to the free peoples who are like these post-apocalyptic survivors. I'm much more motivated now to put together a 50 Wound-sized army, AND terrain to reflect this brave new world.
Yes, from a campaign based play and, "Is it interesting?" perspective, AoS has significantly exceeded my expectations. I still don't think I'll play it much, because I just like 40k better and I have only so much time, but I'll probably buy occasional models I like, and read the fluff and campaign books.
