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They waited too long. Everyone who’s interested in BFG is swimming in 3D printed minis by now. And the designs are so good there’s not much GW could do to impress anymore.

While I dearly love BFG and really wish it were coming back, I don't think this little tease hints that it's coming back.

Seems more like an in joke about the power mace picture.

I'm not sure that GW acknowledging an old product really equates to a suggestion of its return...

Given the recurring rumours of BFG it's certainly plausible that there are plans to bring it back, and that something is in the pipeline.

However I very much doubt that we'll see anything in the near future. A (presumably HH setting) BFG boxed game would directly compete with the Darkwater / HH / LI preview reveals.

More likely it's something coming in 2026 or later, once the obvious gaps in the LI range have been completed.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
They waited too long. Everyone who’s interested in BFG is swimming in 3D printed minis by now. And the designs are so good there’s not much GW could do to impress anymore.

Kinda?

I’d love me some BFG models. Like Epic, they’re the natural recipient of Contrast, once you’ve done some drybrushing to pre-shade.

But, I typically want BFG. Not BFG-a-like. Some I would go 3rd Party, where I just want it to try something clever painting wise, which the second hand market prices makes prohibitive.

And I’m pretty confident I’m not the only one with this approach. Not to mention the appeal to new players, Spesh since Armada was canned.

Not a criticism of those who go with 3rd Party stuff like,

They've done this sort of thing before. I remember there was a video with a whiteboard that had notes all over it mentioning Mordheim, Gorkamorka and more.

And then there was the whole debacle with the plastic wheelie bin and the mention of plastic sisters (long before they ever became a thing).

Tbh, if they want some separation from main 40k, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if they released it the same way the did originally:

Start with a limited game covering specifically the Gothic War and the factions involved, then expand out from there if it’s popular.

They mentioned Codex Zoats twice in christmas videos
They've mentioned Exodites in lore articles multiple times (more so in recent years it feels like)


Meanwhile we have 1 zoat model produced in recent times which was a short term product and zero Exodites models - barring one brightlance for an old version of Epic.



So GW are not above name-dropping without ever producing anything. Sometimes its a hint of the future sometimes not.

Personally only only worry is that if they did BFG and if the specialist studio did it and if they are mostly barred from 40K stuff internally then it means it will be more "mirror match Imperial VS Imperial with a chance of Mechanicum models in a few years maybe if you're really lucky".

Which is fine - they will be amazingly awesome spaceships; but darn it it just feels so creatively limited when you limit the design pool to 1 asthetic esp when GW has Aliens, Chaos, Demons and so many other things already there

What I worry about with BFG 2.0 is how they force a different scale to make old models unusable improve detail and, of course, the price. BFG was obscenely cheap even compared to its contemporaries (2 cruisers same cost as the smallest possible 40k box of 5 monopose marines - a laughable cost considering the portion of your fleet they represented) while now a fleet would likely be in the same price range as a LI army. We'll be very, very lucky if a regular Specialist Games sized 40€ box has two cruisers and not one.

Isn't the joke simply that the image is clearly nothing to do with Battlefleet Gothic, and the text is having some fun with the idea that people can still convince themselves it might be?

El Torro wrote:

 Tawnis wrote:
I think a HH setting might have been the original intent, however after the less than stellar sales of Legion Imperialis, much of the complaints being the HH exclusive setting, and the generally unfavorable reception to HH 3rd edition, I feel like they'd push it forward, at least into the scouring since it's the new thing they're going to be focusing on and/or up to the war of the beast to get at least a few Xenos factions in on it for wider appeal.

I certainly like to moan about Epic’s Horus Heresy setting any chance I get. Is that concern widespread though? Has Legion Imperialis really had disappointing sales? A genuine question, I have no idea whether it has or hasn’t.

Unfortunately I think if LI is selling badly GW are more likely to can the whole endeavour than move the setting to 40K.

Setting Battlefleet Gothic a few thousand years further than Horus Heresy would certainly be a step in the right direction. It wouldn’t help my dream of a Tyranid fleet much though.

It's from a combination of things I've read online and what I've heard from retailers in what they've been able to move. Obviously that latter part is only in my area and it may be selling well elsewhere, but I don't think it's really catching on. For another thing on that front, I don't think I've seen a single batrep cross my feed for it since LI launched. Looking it up, there's a couple here and there on really small channels, but the big names like MWG and Play On haven't touched it in ages.

Kill Team is still doing quite well though, so they do know that adjacent games systems can be successful, they just have to do it right.


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 PenitentJake wrote:
Kroot Warsphere!

I will build a fleet of these if given the chance.

I love Epic. I have crates of epic models. I have the core game for LI and after trying it, zero interest compounded by the scale change.

 YodhrinsForge wrote:
Every time this or Mordheim comes up I find myself baffled and confused. You don't need to wait, or speculate, or fantasize: they're right there. The rules are free, there are endless 3rd party and printable minis, there are online communities to help you find games - if you like them then just go and play them, you don't need GW's permission.

You are correct to a point, but having a currently supported game brings more people to play it. Yeah, I could get myself a third party fleet, and I still have my old rulebook, but unless I'm building everyone else's fleet for them, I still have to convince other people to get into the game and invest time to build / paint a fleet as well, it's not an easy sell when most people are behind in the systems they already play and if I were to randomly stop playing, they'd have done all that work for nothing.

It's much easier to have even a minimally maintained game so you can get in with the people currently playing it.

Greenfield wrote:
Isn't the joke simply that the image is clearly nothing to do with Battlefleet Gothic, and the text is having some fun with the idea that people can still convince themselves it might be?

Watch that end up being the prow ram for a Space Skaven battleship...

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
They waited too long. Everyone who’s interested in BFG is swimming in 3D printed minis by now. And the designs are so good there’s not much GW could do to impress anymore.

I'm sure that some are, but I think the reaction on this post alone disproves your point. There are a lot of people here not playing BFG that would get into it if it re-released.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Lord Damocles wrote:
I'm not sure that GW acknowledging an old product really equates to a suggestion of its return...

While it could still be considered grasping at straws, what I heard was that a year or two ago Warcom had an article about your favourite BFG memory (I'm going by what I heard, I never saw this article myself). Apparently it was one of their most engaged with articles of all time which turned some heads at GW and got them thinking about BFG seriously again. It's very much an unsubstantiated rumor so take it with a mountain of salt, but if it is true, it would line up with them starting to slowly garner interest again in prep for a reveal next year or something.

Is it that important for games to be about the warhammer 40k setting? I ask because if you're serious about BFG, Dropfleet Commander exists and by all accounts is updated BFG minus the theme.

Considering the vast majority of us got into the games for the setting? Yes, it absolutely is important.

Whilst I'm sure they'd bring BFG back, I'd suspect they'd only bring it back as HH only. And if its not HH only, its likely to have a short shelf life like aeronautica imperialis did.

Meaning its either a game I'm only vaguely interested in for a handful of kits (HH only) and then forced to go elsewhere anyway to get the rest of the fleets (Old models, alternatives etc) making it an expensive endeavour (as I sadly no longer own any of my original BFG as it was all stolen). Or they bring back a large amount of 40k fleets in a short time and knowing how much I had to rush to buy up missing aeronautica imperialis kits at the end of its life span when they canned it, I either have to buy everything on release or face the same FOMO chase when they can this game. Making it another expensive endeavour. (Yes- I don't have to collect ALL the things, but I do have almost every army in Epic other than Tau, and would love to have BFG back for campaigns)

I'm not sure I'm ready for another High energy FOMO chase, High cost, low time frame relationship/game with GW when there are a lot cheaper alternatives out there right now. Loads of space ships games about these days.

I might buy a few 'starter' plastics if they show up cheap in a FLGS or 2nd hand later down the line as their plastics are always nice, but I don't think a 'modern' BFG would be around long term enough to be worth dropping the money I can see this one costing. It would have to be something REALLY special and self contained as a set to get my attention, as much as I love small scale 40k gaming.

Billicus wrote:
Is it that important for games to be about the warhammer 40k setting? I ask because if you're serious about BFG, Dropfleet Commander exists and by all accounts is updated BFG minus the theme.

I for one don’t so much want to play an Epic scale game, or a space fleet battle game with Capital ships. I want to play GW ones. It’s the background and the stories I can tell that are a chunk of the appeal.

Also for me? GW has a real knack for making different ship classes visually distinct, despite often sharing a common hull. Could I instantly tell you what’s a Lunar, Dominator or Tyrant? No. My knowledge is rusty. But to look upon their models, and see different gun decks, batteries of big lasers and flight decks, I think most could tell you they’re different classes.

Dropfleet? Kinda. Likely more me having little knowledge, but the Scourge in particularly all look samey. Nice models, don’t get me wrong. But not as immediately visually distinct to my eyes.

What would be the new name tho? It obviously can't be Battlefleet Gothic, unless it again takes place entirely in the Gothic Sector?

What fun timing...

https://blog.warcradle.com/blog/prepare-for-your-voyage-beyond-the-black-ocean

 lord_blackfang wrote:
What would be the new name tho? It obviously can't be Battlefleet Gothic, unless it again takes place entirely in the Gothic Sector?

Maybe Battlefleet Terra?

The whole thing can be the culmination of the Heresy?

I mean, wouldn't you want the Phalanx to play with?

 YodhrinsForge wrote:
Every time this or Mordheim comes up I find myself baffled and confused. You don't need to wait, or speculate, or fantasize: they're right there. The rules are free, there are endless 3rd party and printable minis, there are online communities to help you find games - if you like them then just go and play them, you don't need GW's permission.

Like I used to.

then I realised the GW-heads would only buy/play a game that is not discontinued, and fully available from GW. Because that way it is not "dead".

Battlefleet Imperialis.

One thing I would say against a Heresy era one? How would they have the two fleets distinct?

In BFG, the Imperials were noted for strong frontal armour and a reliance on Torpedoes. Lots and lots and lots of Torpedoes, and close up brawling. Chaos/Traitor however relied on longer ranges and arranging neat broadsides using said range.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Battlefleet Imperialis.

One thing I would say against a Heresy era one? How would they have the two fleets distinct?

In BFG, the Imperials were noted for strong frontal armour and a reliance on Torpedoes. Lots and lots and lots of Torpedoes, and close up brawling. Chaos/Traitor however relied on longer ranges and arranging neat broadsides using said range.

And Nova Cannons... remember guessing ranges and using the scatter die?

I remember one legendary shot. First of the game, blootered a Battle Barge. Sent its Warp Engine critical and gutted a good part of his fleet straight off the bat.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Not to mention the appeal to new players, Spesh since Armada was canned.

While I was more into X-Wing, Star Wars Armada was a pretty glorious ruleset that I greatly enjoyed playing at the time, doing such an excellent job of capturing the right feel for epic scale space battles combined with engaging strategic gameplay. Imagine those rules but with the diversity and flavour of 40k factions and ships. Won't ever happen. But it would be amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if some fan has designed a full ruleset for it already, but hesitate to check as I really don't need a reason to start a new game and collection...

 YodhrinsForge wrote:
Every time this or Mordheim comes up I find myself baffled and confused. You don't need to wait, or speculate, or fantasize: they're right there. The rules are free, there are endless 3rd party and printable minis, there are online communities to help you find games - if you like them then just go and play them, you don't need GW's permission.

You’re baffled that people would like new official GW models to paint and play with?

Billicus wrote:
Is it that important for games to be about the warhammer 40k setting? I ask because if you're serious about BFG, Dropfleet Commander exists and by all accounts is updated BFG minus the theme.

The first edition mechanics were very much a modernized BFG as envisioned by Andy. Chambers. 2nd edition is still shaking out and I don’t have a feel for it yet.

The minis are fantastic, with plenty of options in plastic. The background is great, although it’s newer and this less developed than 40k.

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:
What fun timing...

https://blog.warcradle.com/blog/prepare-for-your-voyage-beyond-the-black-ocean

Oh, hey Cruddace.