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And of course- models are one thing. The cards are what makes the warband great, so once we see those I'm sure there will be a resurgence of interest.

Did anyone see a release date for these?

Chikout wrote:
They have pets, they come with cool bases and if you add them to the starter box warbands you have a pretty good foundation for a skirmish warband. They continue the trend of being better looking versions of the standard kits. I will be buying both.

Same sentiment here. I do really love the sculpted bases.

 Arachnofiend wrote:
I was borderline on picking up Shadespire and just needed a warband that I truly love; making basically two duplicate warbands definitely did not help that. I don't think these warbands are going to bring in very many new players at all.

Call me when there's a Nighthaunts warband.

People need to remember this is not Warhammer40k or AoS. Just like in MOBA's, Gameplay comes first, Aesthetic second. It does not matter how much you love the models and how cool they are if then you don't like how they play.

Maybe aesthetically this two warbands don't offer much variety in the game, but they will offer gameplay variety. And for a fast and competitive based game like this one, thats much more relevant.

Oh, it's the "characters are just function" way of thinking.

I think you could say the same regarding any game, but I'm all about the aesthetic. Luckily I really like both the dwarfs and ork warbands, so I have plenty to play with while awaiting a Sylvaneth warband

When they're making this sort of singlepose models I really wish they'd do something a bit more interesting and personalised them more. They can still be Stormcasts and Khorne guys with these weapons, but they shouldn't look like they're assembled from the multipart box. The bases are the only interesting feature.

 RiTides wrote:
I think you could say the same regarding any game, but I'm all about the aesthetic. Luckily I really like both the dwarfs and ork warbands, so I have plenty to play with while awaiting a Sylvaneth warband

Is very different. In a game like Warhammer 40k, Infinity, etc... the time you'll spend building and painting your models is MUCH, MUCH bigger than the time you'll spent playing them. And, at the same time, how many people have you read that said "I liked them but after playing them I sold that army because I didn't liked the playstile"

In Shadespire, with 3-5 models per warband, gameplay is even more relevant than how the models actually look compared with other games. At the end of the day Shadespire is a boardgame not a Wargame.

Infinity isn't a strong case because you could actually play with the same number of models, or just a few more, if you wanted to.

I think this is just a case of people viewing things differently, which is totally fine, but again for me I'm all about certain factions and just adapt my play to their style. Different strokes for different folks!

Both bands are awesome.

Love me some birdy dogy

I'm good with the new factions. I was hoping for a bit more variety like a birdy pet for the vanguard and some more dynamic posing like a lot of the other warbands have. But outside of that I'm good with it. Plus we've known this was the last warbands since the game dropped.

I'm more interested in where they go from here and how long they leave the game alone before adding more stuff past what was obviously the first planned run.

One thing I find quite interesting in these sets is how they adhere to a very specific sprue size and layout regardless of the figure content. Particularly when you consider that bases factor into a good amount of the available space, its kind of neat to see the engineering that goes into making it work.

 Hulksmash wrote:
I'm good with the new factions. I was hoping for a bit more variety like a birdy pet for the vanguard and some more dynamic posing like a lot of the other warbands have. But outside of that I'm good with it. Plus we've known this was the last warbands since the game dropped.

I'm guessing that the bird is going to function like it does for the Raptor-Prime in a Longstrike Crossbow unit in AoS proper. It's an additional CC attack that also allows for you to 'overwatch'(which is a rare ability in AoS).

I'm actually a bit more interested to see the rules for the unit in AoS since the Vanguard Hunters themselves don't get Aetherwings as something they get synergy with.

I'm more interested in where they go from here and how long they leave the game alone before adding more stuff past what was obviously the first planned run.

Alluded to this in the other thread, but apparently GW has been pretty insistent on people playing up that "Shadespire is the setting, Warhammer Underworlds is the game".

Yeah, after reading the rulebook and noticing the language used when the game describes itself, I get the impression that Shadespire is more akin to a Magic set name.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Hulksmash wrote:
I'm good with the new factions. I was hoping for a bit more variety like a birdy pet for the vanguard and some more dynamic posing like a lot of the other warbands have. But outside of that I'm good with it. Plus we've known this was the last warbands since the game dropped.

I'm guessing that the bird is going to function like it does for the Raptor-Prime in a Longstrike Crossbow unit in AoS proper. It's an additional CC attack that also allows for you to 'overwatch'(which is a rare ability in AoS).

I'm actually a bit more interested to see the rules for the unit in AoS since the Vanguard Hunters themselves don't get Aetherwings as something they get synergy with.

I'm more interested in where they go from here and how long they leave the game alone before adding more stuff past what was obviously the first planned run.

Alluded to this in the other thread, but apparently GW has been pretty insistent on people playing up that "Shadespire is the setting, Warhammer Underworlds is the game".

Yeah, I'm aware of how the units work in AoS. I've also been aware of the way GW is pushing "Warhammer Underworlds" and not the full title. My interest is focussed on how they transition current teams to any new system/location, how they determine what, if any cards are/aren't transitioned, how long we get in each "series" and if series are going to be available in any way shape or form. I could see the exclusive cards (i.e. warband exclusive Obj/Ploy/Upgrade) being kept while swapping out essentially all generics each season but who knows. I don't think we'll have a good idea of it till it actually happens. Difference is that unlike before I have actual faith they'll do it right instead of dreading it when it happens.

I was just thinking (and post in the specialist forums) the same idea. The common symbol we have now is likely the "Shadespire Set" symbol. My guess is that when we go to a new setting the warbands and their cards will remain compatible, but the common cards will remain exclusive to Shadespire (or will perhaps rotate out after the NEXT set or something).

That's actually a really exciting way to make a healthy cardpool without invalidating models. There's an issue of the game bloating with warbands to deal with, but with a set wide figure count of 35, its not exactly growing at an overwhelming pace.

Then what would probably happen is they'll made the same card but from different "set" : sprint, confusion, side step. potion,....

Chopstick wrote:
Then what would probably happen is they'll made the same card but from different "set" : sprint, confusion, side step. potion,....

Definitely likely to see some reprints of some of the cards, but there's plenty of things to make unique like the Shadeglass weapons and the relic set. It also gives them them the option to make smarter versions of cards like Earthquake or even change up how the objectives work.

How would that work, in theory - would I have the option of building my deck using generic cards from either the original (Shadespire) set, or an upcoming new set, but just not mixing the two?

 TalonZahn wrote:
Lion Helms... they have Lion Helmets.....

I've been wanting something from GW like this for some conversions.

Love more warbands!

So...how long until someone makes an Ornstein and Smough conversion?

 RiTides wrote:
How would that work, in theory - would I have the option of building my deck using generic cards from either the original (Shadespire) set, or an upcoming new set, but just not mixing the two?

It totally depends on what GW wants to do with the game. Most card games have a concept that your deck can be a mix of the current set and the prior one and anything beyond that is outside the bounds of Official Play. I'd expect something similar here.

I agree with others, I think it would have been much more intriguing to see a warband from something other than what are basically the posterboy races of AoS. Like a really savage Seraphon set, with maybe 2 Saurus and a trio of skinks?

 AegisGrimm wrote:
I agree with others, I think it would have been much more intriguing to see a warband from something other than what are basically the posterboy races of AoS. Like a really savage Seraphon set, with maybe 2 Saurus and a trio of skinks?

It certainly would have, but the first 8 warbands were listed in the rulebook, so....

Well, yeah, because of all the talk of the obvious issue of the minis existing before the game did.

It just would have made more sense to me to have a warband from each of the main factions of AoS so far, which probably would have been more likely given a different developement arc.

 RiTides wrote:
Infinity isn't a strong case because you could actually play with the same number of models, or just a few more, if you wanted to.

I think this is just a case of people viewing things differently, which is totally fine, but again for me I'm all about certain factions and just adapt my play to their style. Different strokes for different folks!

You could always just scratch build your own models and make custom art for the cards to make them obvious to your opponent.

...wait, am I supposed to be doing that for you?

So, a new "season" of Warhammer Underworlds is confirmed: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/03/22/breaking-news-major-revealsgw-homepage-post-1/

Last week we revealed two new Warhammer Underworlds warbands. Once you get these two expansions in your hands, the astute among you will notice that the cards in these sets fill out the numbering in the Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire library. Hang on – does that mean there are no more cards or warbands?

Of course not.

Worry not, brave explorers of the Mirrored City, we have plans to carry on supporting this game for a long time yet, and we dare say the Underworlds still have plenty of horrors to uncover.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come…

557 new cards, so that would be a basic set like Shadespire with two warbands and then another 8 new warbands! First two bands appear to be another flavour of Stormcast (with the Anvil struck by lightning) and Nighthaunt (spooky ghosts). Going by the cards always displaying actual fighters in the game, one of the Nighthaunt will be a hooded ghost with a sword and a noose around his neck. Cool!

The Shadespire logo has been replaced with a screaming ghost face, so I'm guessing that we have a new location, but it's still tied to Nagash somehow. Or would it still be in Shadespire?

Guesses as to what other warbands we'll see? I'm guessing, based on what's really been "AOS-ified", at least Seraphim, Sylvaneth, Kharadron, both flavours of new Aelves (Idoneth and Daughters of Khaine), and Maggotkin/Nurgle Daemons. That leaves another two, perhaps Darkoath and I'm guessing at least another Death faction? Realizing there's no Destruction in my list...

Tzeentch Arcanites?

If Nighthaunt and Stormcast are in the starter, I'm guessing this will be a more "Hammer Horror"(no pun intended) oriented set.

I'm guessing we'll get a Vampires set, a set for Devoted of Sigmar, a set for Idoneth, and Chaos will be mostly absent.

 Galas wrote:
People need to remember this is not Warhammer40k or AoS. Just like in MOBA's, Gameplay comes first, Aesthetic second. It does not matter how much you love the models and how cool they are if then you don't like how they play.

Maybe aesthetically this two warbands don't offer much variety in the game, but they will offer gameplay variety. And for a fast and competitive based game like this one, thats much more relevant.

That argument makes very little sense. If looks are so unimportant, then making them different should be easier, not harder. Take crossbow Stormcast - what stops them from being Melusai Stalkers band with pet dragon instead? Why the Khornate guys couldn't be Lizardmen with one of their dinos? That's the issue people have, nothing forced GW to repeat two bands...

And that's before considering if you really had to make them Stormcast/Khorne roiders, going buff generic male route was laziest and worst possible way. Why not female band? Elves? We know Stormcast aren't 100% human, and I can't imagine Khorne being picky, too. Some sort of new culture we haven't seen if you really need humans? Anything new at all, really?

 Irbis wrote:
Take crossbow Stormcast - what stops them from being Melusai Stalkers band with pet dragon instead? Why the Khornate guys couldn't be Lizardmen with one of their dinos? That's the issue people have, nothing forced GW to repeat two bands...

The game was apparently built around a number of unused snap fit kits, of which both the Stormcast and Khorne guys are the most likely suspects.

There's also brand recognition. Stormcast and Bloodreavers are the two factions GW wants to be iconic in AoS.
Many people can recognize a space marine and instantly link it to 40K, as long as they got some exposure to the universe, without necessarily being big players/gamers. This is not the case with most of 40K's model lines.
GW would like to have the same thing with Stormcast, and possibly Bloodreavers: you see one, you know it's from AoS. And to obtain that, they need to push these two model lines a lot.

It's even more the case for Shadespire, which is a game that is also aimed at board gamers (the ones that don't also play wargames I mean). If every campaign has stormcasts in the initial box + a second warband at some points, it won't take long before people are able to recognize these models easily. It's a good way to anchor their setting in people's mind.

Or as "His Master's Voice" said, the rumors about the models coming from un-used kits is true, and SC and BR are indeed very common snap-fit kits.