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Also this is usual for these...hardly out of blue

Whilst it is a pain, I think they do it this way to try and gage real interest as opposed to potential interest.


It's rather like if Forgeworld asked what model we'd all like to buy. There'd be LOADS of requests for the Thunderhawk Gunship and other big expensive models. However the number of people who would actually put money behind their desire or who have the means to do so are far far fewer.

So by doing it the way they do it they likely get more reliable real world data on uptake potential .

chaos0xomega wrote:
Thats a stretch of the imagination. Hachette locks into a quantity contract with GW from the beginning. I.E. they order enough for 50,000 copies of each issue and will only allow maybe 49,500 subscriptions against it. The remaining 500 copies are used for replacements for lost/damaged goods and anything that isn't claimed after is put on sale. What you described literally cannot happen.

Sucks that you got your undies in a twist over it, but a trial is a trial - its limited time and limited quantity (and if I understand correctly, also limited to only parts of the US). You tried to sign up for it, and they gave you your money back, don't really see what there is to be upset about.

I think the big thing is it wasn't billed as a trial run, people thought they were getting the real thing and getting exited only to be told nope sorry nothing for you try again later. not the end of the world by any stretch but still understandably aggravating.

 totalfailure wrote:


If it’s purpose is to get people playing, it is in fact a mainstream product, just as any of the other 40K starter sets. I don’t discount that many of the purchasers are in fact, vultures looking to pick it over. But deny all you like, some of the value of the product is introducing people to 40K. And the longer it takes to come out, the more likely it is not going to be that useful at it. Deny that all you like.

Unless 10th edition is fundamentally different to 9th it's still going to be pretty useful at it.

You are right that it is designed to get people playing, but crucially it's designed to get people playing completely from scratch, who have never played a single war game before. All the fundamentals it introduces won't change. One of edition of 40K is 90%+ similar to the next.

 Overread wrote:
Whilst it is a pain, I think they do it this way to try and gage real interest as opposed to potential interest. [...]So by doing it the way they do it they likely get more reliable real world data on uptake potential .

That's a good point. However, the timing of the actual release somewhat undermines the value of this test: I had wrongly assumed the Imperium subscription would begin immediately. If it's not going to even start until 2022, and if the 10th Edition of WH40k is released in 2023 (assuming they keep to the 3-year cycle as in 2014, 2017, and 2020), I suspect that I and others may lost interest by that time.

2020 would've been the perfect time to begin this endeavor: gauge interest in the summer when 9th Edition was released, then ramp up production for a release later that year. While no one could've predicted the pandemic, having a steady release of models via magazine subscription would've likely been very popular during this extended period where people are largely stuck inside. I suspect that 2022 will see a huge explosion of people venturing out to restaurants, movies, live music, etc. outside their homes.

10th edition isn't a huge barrier though. It's very unlikely that any of the models will be replaced for 10th edition considering how most in the magazine are brand new.

Meanwhile the magazines written content is either self contained to itself and thus doens't matter what edition is on the table; or its content that people who play the main game don't care about so it, again, doesn't really matter.


If you're in it just for cheap models then its just as good; if you're in it for the game inside the magazine then you're good.


10th edition isn't a "threat" unless GW decides to write out Necrons or that Primaris will be replace with UltraPrimaris.

 Overread wrote:
10th edition isn't a huge barrier though.

Sure, to you it’s not a barrier. But I’m talking about the common perception of the general public which will influence spending habits.

The impending release of a new version tends to suppress buying (the common refrain is, “don’t buy now, wait until the new edition drops”) since people don’t want to invest heavily in models which may be less useful, or even entire armies. This goes back to GW’s notorious struggles in balancing the units and armies—players don’t trust that their existing units and even armies would be useful in the long run. Since a new codex also tends to ramp up the power level of an army, some people may shy away from starting a new Necron army in 2022, fearing that all of the attention that faction received in 9th Edition might mean they’ll receive fewer codex updates in the future.

You can loudly proclaim that there’s no reason people should shy away from heavy spending at the tail-end of an edition (and I’m not saying you’re wrong—I bought a ton of clearance Death Guard stuff in 2020), but I suspect many players are more cautious, and some have been burned before. I maintain that the best time for Hatchette to start a multi-year magazine program would have been at the beginning of an edition. Same for the how-to-play stuff in the highest-selling first few issues of the magazine: that would’ve ideally been published summer 2020, rather than 2022.

 Bold wrote:
I maintain that the best time for Hatchette to start a multi-year magazine program would have been at the beginning of an edition. Same for the how-to-play stuff in the highest-selling first few issues of the magazine: that would’ve ideally been published summer 2020, rather than 2022.

They ran Conquest at the tail end of the edition and it was a roaring success. Lots of people from the U.S, in fact, popped into the Dakka Conquest thread to proclaim that they'd love to buy Conquest and what a massive shame it was, bordering on injustice, that they could not. It now looks like you'll be able to buy Imperium in the U.S but I guess for some people it's just a short step from "Golly I wish I could buy this here" to "It's really quite outrageous that I can't buy it here right now, like yesterday, in fact I might not want this in six months from now, poor show GW, terrible move Hachette, thx for nothing."

My opinion is that veteran gamers should accept that with the exception of the availability of cheap models, these Hachette part works are not aimed at us.

Conquest was an 80 week self contained gaming system for two armies plus terrain and paints.

It matters not if main 40k went through 3 editions over that period. The rules in Conquest were for that system and no other. They may have been based on 8th Ed but Conquest could be re-released now without change because it is independent of the main 40k cycle.



If a player doesn't want to wait, virtually every model type in Imperiumis available now. The exact models of Sisters aren't but the unit types are.

 Bold wrote:

 Overread wrote:
10th edition isn't a huge barrier though.

Sure, to you it’s not a barrier. But I’m talking about the common perception of the general public which will influence spending habits.

The impending release of a new version tends to suppress buying (the common refrain is, “don’t buy now, wait until the new edition drops”) since people don’t want to invest heavily in models which may be less useful, or even entire armies. This goes back to GW’s notorious struggles in balancing the units and armies—players don’t trust that their existing units and even armies would be useful in the long run. Since a new codex also tends to ramp up the power level of an army, some people may shy away from starting a new Necron army in 2022, fearing that all of the attention that faction received in 9th Edition might mean they’ll receive fewer codex updates in the future.

You can loudly proclaim that there’s no reason people should shy away from heavy spending at the tail-end of an edition (and I’m not saying you’re wrong—I bought a ton of clearance Death Guard stuff in 2020), but I suspect many players are more cautious, and some have been burned before. I maintain that the best time for Hatchette to start a multi-year magazine program would have been at the beginning of an edition. Same for the how-to-play stuff in the highest-selling first few issues of the magazine: that would’ve ideally been published summer 2020, rather than 2022.

I wish I’d seen clearance and anything GW in a sentence before now. As I’d be snapping that up.

I get both sides of this.
But one thing regarding the new people in because of the magazine, to a large extent it won’t matter to them either, as they’re just getting the magazine still as their buy in. So won’t stop spending in that sense.
(Though I agree it may stop them buying more things from GW direct. If they even know about a new edition. GW don’t publicise it and don’t frequent the forums etc. Not like the old days. I remember 6th to 7th fantasy there being an offer in GW if you bought the old box you got the new rulebook free as they ramped up the hype a few months before the new drop).

JWBS wrote:
They ran Conquest at the tail end of the edition and it was a roaring success.

As a clarification, Conquest Issue 1 was released back in Summer 2018, which was right at the beginning of 8th Edition's second year. It ran through the 2nd and 3rd years of that edition, finishing several months before the next edition was released.

Imperium Issue 1 will be released in the US in 2022 which will be 9th Edition's third year (and most likely its final). Its run won't finish in the U.S. until well after 10th Edition will likely be released, assuming GW keeps the same schedule as in the last decade.

Now, an argument could be made either way about if this later timing will affect sales, particularly for the later issues. But let's at least be factual about the differences in timing between the two runs.

Okay, I'm probably mixing up the edition with the DI box set, I don't really distinguish between the two as I don't play the game. Di had been out for absolutely ages though when they released Conquest, I'd say the DI>Conquest timeline looks very similar to the Indom>Imperium one.

 Bold wrote:

 Overread wrote:
Whilst it is a pain, I think they do it this way to try and gage real interest as opposed to potential interest. [...]So by doing it the way they do it they likely get more reliable real world data on uptake potential .

That's a good point. However, the timing of the actual release somewhat undermines the value of this test: I had wrongly assumed the Imperium subscription would begin immediately. If it's not going to even start until 2022, and if the 10th Edition of WH40k is released in 2023 (assuming they keep to the 3-year cycle as in 2014, 2017, and 2020), I suspect that I and others may lost interest by that time.

2020 would've been the perfect time to begin this endeavor: gauge interest in the summer when 9th Edition was released, then ramp up production for a release later that year. While no one could've predicted the pandemic, having a steady release of models via magazine subscription would've likely been very popular during this extended period where people are largely stuck inside. I suspect that 2022 will see a huge explosion of people venturing out to restaurants, movies, live music, etc. outside their homes.

By the time magazine ends we are still playing in 9e. Furthermore models don't self-immolate when edition changes. If you lose interest due to time you lose interest anyway whether it starts now or later. You were never going to stay for 80 week subscribtion anyway


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Bold wrote:

 Overread wrote:
10th edition isn't a huge barrier though.

Sure, to you it’s not a barrier. But I’m talking about the common perception of the general public which will influence spending habits.

The impending release of a new version tends to suppress buying (the common refrain is, “don’t buy now, wait until the new edition drops”) since people don’t want to invest heavily in models which may be less useful, or even entire armies. This goes back to GW’s notorious struggles in balancing the units and armies—players don’t trust that their existing units and even armies would be useful in the long run. Since a new codex also tends to ramp up the power level of an army, some people may shy away from starting a new Necron army in 2022, fearing that all of the attention that faction received in 9th Edition might mean they’ll receive fewer codex updates in the future.

Well. You can claim that.

Evidence(as shown with previous hachette partworks which weren't launched start of editions either and were huge successes) proves you are wrong though.

Conquest is still running in Germany and currently at issue 61 (last one in the six issue pack sent to subscribers) so they definitely consider the magazine to be independently from current 40k editions as pointed out before. It is a good start into the hobby as its own system. I was surprised how extensive the rules and mission parts of the magazines are.

 Bold wrote:
Imperium Issue 1 will be released in the US in 2021, which will be 9th Edition's third year (and most likely its final).

Forgive me, but didn't ninth edition come out July of 2020? So it is nine months old?

 judgedoug wrote:

Forgive me, but didn't ninth edition come out July of 2020? So it is nine months old?

It technically did but it was limited book in Indomitus. Mass rulebook release was late fall, so more like six months old...

Has any indication been given at all as to when the magazine might launch fully in the UK?

 Mentlegen324 wrote:
Has any indication been given at all as to when the magazine might launch fully in the UK?

The emails out indicated late July for the UK but my memory is sketchy. Sometime in the summer in any case.

Advantage for cherry pickers in the USA is you’ll know what each issue is in advance.

Us in the U.K., we’ll need to do some legwork.

July was mentioned I’m pretty sure yeah.

Just got my issue 1 and 2 today, USA, Virginia. It was such a thrill opening the package and looking at the magazines that I know I will continue subscribing when it fully launches. It was akin to the same feeling I got when a Nintendo Power arrived, if you know what I mean! lol

 judgedoug wrote:
Forgive me, but didn't ninth edition come out July of 2020? So it is nine months old?

Good catch! That was a typo on my part: Imperium won't be released in the US until 2022, the beginning of 9th Edition's (likely) final year if 10th follows the pattern and comes out in summer 2023.

I've gone back and fixed that typo in the original post. Thanks!


Automatically Appended Next Post:

JWBS wrote:
Di had been out for absolutely ages though when they released Conquest, I'd say the DI>Conquest timeline looks very similar to the Indom>Imperium one.

Only for the UK, with a one year gap between the box set and the magazine. For your country, you are 100% correct.

I've been talking specifically about the additional one-year delay for the release of the magazine in the U.S., which means there will be a two-year gap between the release of the box set and the magazine. And again, whether or not starting the magazine in the third & final year of an edition will affect interest is debatable. It should also be noted that rumors are that the U.S. release would ONLY be via subscription, not sales in brick & mortar stores. Other people's comments about cherry-picking specific issues or ordering more from Hachette may not be an option for people in the U.S., at least given what we know right now.

I should probably stop replying to this thread--I suspect too many people are assuming I'm in an INTERNET RAGE over the additional 1-year delay for U.S. sales of Imperium. I was already on the fence about whether or not I'd continue my subscription, and now finding out that my initial order was canceled and it won't be available for at least another year has made me reconsider; I already have enough grey plastic still on the sprue, but the magazine would've been a nice pandemic project. But no rage here, I have plenty to build & paint right now. It's all good!

I'd also be very surprised if 10th comes on the 3-year schedule after how far things have fallen behind at GW with the pandemic, if that fits in to your thinking.

Not only that but there have been virtually no competitive events in the UK and we're just tentatively looking at having them this summer. Appetite for another new edition when very few have really played the current one is surely going to be pretty low. I know I haven't bothered buying any codex books for this edition.

Exactly, I would expect GW would try and draw out 10th edition. Granted they've a cycle of profits to maintain which might impact that, but they could easily do a 0.5 update or somesuch to refresh interest. A slightly more beefy Chapter Approved coupled with a model launch and such would easily tide people over. Or a slower release of more chunky campaign books with new models and rules and such like they are doing for AoS right now (save that the AoS is accellerated with release speed)


I would wager throwing out 11th edition right after hardly anyone got to play 10th wouldn't be that popular.

Now I know we're not supposed to post anything positive around here, but...

I got my 2 issues today and I'm amped up to sign up for the full run.

I really like all the stuff, and it's a pretty cool deal. I've always been jealous this was U.K. / EU only.

I’ve just eBayed the Primaris LT from Indomitus that comes in issue one. No point having him twice.
£7 after post and fees, so makes the first full price issue basically free which is nice.
Hopefully we still get 1-3 for free when it starts..

For me it was a bit annoying as it wasn't shown to be a limited run. No mention of it what so ever until they had charged me and the site basically disappeared. sSo now i got issue 1 and 2 and basically thats it until 2022...which is a bit annoying as i went for it beings i was just starting out a necron army and it was a good way to hover up some cheap necrons and primaris. Not by the time it really starts who knows what ill be working on then.

Summer 2021 seems to have shifted to 2022. This is on the Google results for the Hachette holding site for Imperium (still says coming soon on the site itself, not sure where Google is pulling its preview text from).

Site now says 2022

https://www.warhammer40000imperium.com/

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