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That there were NO missions/scenarios at all included for the given models in the Dark Imperium set? Say what you want about Dark Vengeance 6/7th edition, but at least they made an effort to include a story, and missions for the models you got in the box to get a player going....you know, something a new player might find helpful in a starter set? Seems like an odd thing to omit. I know veterans don't care about this, but new gamers might get this dumped on them and think 'Now what?'.

Haven't gotten Dark Imperium yet but it sounds like Black Reach. I remember that didn't have a scenario either (or if it did, it was like a one-off battle that just used all the models in the set in a standard annhilation scenario). Maybe they just phoned it in?

Just seems odd that they would abandon something that is helpful to beginners, in what is ostensibly a starter to attract people into your game. It seems a step backwards from Dark Vengeance and Age of Sigmar, both of which had at least a bit of story and some 'programmed instruction' style missions to ease you into it before the big everything in the box tries to kill each other scenario....

It is a bit odd, those that pre ordered direct from GW got a few bonuses, one of which was a mission called "Duel Of Honour" which pitches the full Nurgle and Primaris armies Vs each other. Victory depends upon killing either the Lord Of Contagion or Captain in Gravis armour. No idea why it is not in the actual set.

 totalfailure wrote:
Just seems odd that they would abandon something that is helpful to beginners, in what is ostensibly a starter to attract people into your game. It seems a step backwards from Dark Vengeance and Age of Sigmar, both of which had at least a bit of story and some 'programmed instruction' style missions to ease you into it before the big everything in the box tries to kill each other scenario....

I think this may be due to Dark Imperium being much like AoBR: It's designed for returning players with good value for the models. If this board is anything to go by, people are grabbing the set solely for the Primaris Marines.

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:


I think this may be due to Dark Imperium being much like AoBR: It's designed for returning players with good value for the models. If this board is anything to go by, people are grabbing the set solely for the Primaris Marines.

I got it for both armies. Can't beat a bunch of awesome new models with some extras thrown in.

The same goes for Island of Blood of 8th fantasy. 0 scenarios teaching how to play. The miniatures wonderfull but as a starter set for... starter...

(It didn't even bring you the rules for the models in the box back in the day! They released a PDF after it!)

In the other hand, Battle for Skull Pass was much better, with little exercises to learn how to move, shoot and fight in meele, and scaling scenarios for a large battle.

I think this may be due to Dark Imperium being much like AoBR: It's designed for returning players with good value for the models. If this board is anything to go by, people are grabbing the set solely for the Primaris Marines.

I would have had bought it if it wasn't for the primaris marine...

I get that Dakka tends to be full of veteran players, who are mostly only interested in the rulebook or models. Stepping aside from that, I think the lack of scenarios is a negative strike against this set to a newcomer. This is GW's flagship product, and I think they need to do a little more than just cater to veterans.

Its something the 6th edition of WHFB did very well - there were single player 'scenarios' in a booklet just simple things like "move this unit across the board' designed to teach you how the game worked - you'll never play them twice. Plus basic stuff with the models in the box (e.g. giving the goblin mage fire magic, as the book lacked the goblin magic list).

Found Black Reach something of a let down in this regard, seemed very much along the lines of "now you also need to go and buy this, and this, and this... " to use what you have

 Galas wrote:
The same goes for Island of Blood of 8th fantasy. 0 scenarios teaching how to play. The miniatures wonderfull but as a starter set for... starter...

(It didn't even bring you the rules for the models in the box back in the day! They released a PDF after it!)

The person responsible for that error was given the opportunity to explore the job market as soon as they realised.

this definatly wasn't that friendly a noob starter set, another good example was the minis themselves, the Primaris Marines where a little more difficult to assmble then the old fashioned push pin tac marines found in ABR or Dark vengence. not terriably difficult b ut defiantly a step up in difficulty

The pricepoint itself is also kinda bad. For canadians it's 190 up front for the set. Again, veterans can see this is good value all things considered, but asking that much as a point of entry is...less desirable.

I suspect a smaller intro set will be coming sometime in the future, kinda like how Kill Team was a small intro set that included the full rules (and likely this smaller set will include a mini rulebook with just the rules) but with a smaller set of miniatures. Or the new AoS Thunder and Blood set, which is a scaled down AoS starter set minus some minis.

I wish they did what they have done with Battle for Macgragge. Have 16 scenarios to slowly get newbies into the game. This is another reason why I think GW caters to the veterans and not fresh blood. GW doesn't make it easy for new blood to learn easily or I should say easier.

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
The pricepoint itself is also kinda bad. For canadians it's 190 up front for the set. Again, veterans can see this is good value all things considered, but asking that much as a point of entry is...less desirable.

I suspect a smaller intro set will be coming sometime in the future, kinda like how Kill Team was a small intro set that included the full rules (and likely this smaller set will include a mini rulebook with just the rules) but with a smaller set of miniatures. Or the new AoS Thunder and Blood set, which is a scaled down AoS starter set minus some minis.

I think a better starter set might be something like 2 squads of space marines, 1 librarian and1 captain. eneugh forces to play a small game agaisnt someone else, but also a solid starter force for the most common armies.

I think it's probably because they included the entire full fledged rulebook inside it =P which has rules for narrative play etc, and missions.

BrianDavion wrote:

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
The pricepoint itself is also kinda bad. For canadians it's 190 up front for the set. Again, veterans can see this is good value all things considered, but asking that much as a point of entry is...less desirable.

I suspect a smaller intro set will be coming sometime in the future, kinda like how Kill Team was a small intro set that included the full rules (and likely this smaller set will include a mini rulebook with just the rules) but with a smaller set of miniatures. Or the new AoS Thunder and Blood set, which is a scaled down AoS starter set minus some minis.

I think a better starter set might be something like 2 squads of space marines, 1 librarian and1 captain. eneugh forces to play a small game agaisnt someone else, but also a solid starter force for the most common armies.

Considering the Patrol Detachment only requires 1 Troop Choice and 1 HQ and no other requirements, just 1 captain, a box of space marines would be more than enough. The other side could be an Ethereal and a squad of Fire Warriors or something. If they're all snapfit models, this can easily fit into a 80 dollar pricepoint with a mini-rulebook, dice, rangefinders and reference sheets. add in some scenarios and blam, good starter set.