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With wargames the line between "That's funny" and "That cost me the game" is a very very fine line when it comes to stuff like that.

At least when only one faction in the game is going to do that kind of thing.

The biggest hindrance to interesting random effects is the rules framework (and the skill of the rules designers - this stuff isn't easy to get right). The last instance of a good and engaging random rule I remember is the 8th Fantasy Mutalith. Its magic had a D6 random table that ranged from doing considerable damage to being hilariously unhelpful as two of the effects might benefit the target enemy unit. Tie that in with the dice resource management of the magic phase you don't just get characterful random effects but also ask meaningful choices of both players. The owner needs to select a good target and if that's not available, decide if the chance for damage is worth the risk of buffing the enemy unit. The opposing player has the choice to dispel or let it through in the hopes of a buff. Plus the question of whether that's a good use of one's limited magic dice.

AoS and 8th ed 40k onwards are so simplistic in their basic rules that random effects rarely go beyond "roll a 1 and miss/remove model/suffer mortal wound" and fifty was of "inflict and average of 2 mortal wounds to this or the closest unit". There isn't a whole lot you can do if you limit your options so much. You also get into severe issues with immersiveness the more limited and abstracted your mechanics are. Which is ironic especially in the case of 40k. For all the marketing talk about bespoke rules they were on about during 8th ed, the actual implementation offered precious little variety. Far, far less than we used to have.

 Manfred von Drakken wrote:
But I miss Jezzails being "reliable" and "almost safe". Besides, watching a Ratling Gun spin in place and shoot at whatever they're now pointing at was funny.

Oh yea I love the ol' complex misfires, all the way back to Chorfs, but this is a ruleset that doesn't even have scatter dice...

That was a fun little read:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/09/06/chronicles-of-ruin-wrack-and-ruin/

It's amusing to see even a Skaven have a limit about crossing a line of betrayal.

So, the Clan Moulder preview article is up, including details of Thanquol's Army of Renown.

The army features this ability:


Note the point about assigning damage - would that get around the Ward from the line above?

Where has Combat Range gone? Why are "melee" powers 6" now?

Not sure which one you're looking at there, blackfang - I do like that Skaven have powers which cover 13", though, that's a nice little touch of flavour.

Both Rampages in the article affect enemy units within 6" and I feel like that's a departure from the stated design ethos of the edition already.

Here comes part 1 of my Skaven mega review. High-res sprue images & all assembly options for the new Stormvermin, Globadiers, weapon teams & Krittok: https://taleofpainters.com/2024/09/review-skaven-stormvermin-acolyte-globadiers-warpspark-weapon-battery-krittok-foulblade/

Thanks Stahly. I'm actually a bit surprised with the prices. Wasn't expecting the characters to drop below £20 from third parties and certainly not vizzik being below a hundred.

$52 for 20 Clanrats seems almost reasonable.

$52 for 3 Jezzails... much less so.

FYI the warhammer hero's boxes are up on wayland and nearly gone:

https://www.waylandgames.co.uk/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-miniatures-warhammer-heroes-stormcast-eternals-display-box-gw60121018002-box

 stahly wrote:
Here comes part 1 of my Skaven mega review. High-res sprue images & all assembly options for the new Stormvermin, Globadiers, weapon teams & Krittok: https://taleofpainters.com/2024/09/review-skaven-stormvermin-acolyte-globadiers-warpspark-weapon-battery-krittok-foulblade/

Thanks for this! The sprue pics show the pieces clearly. The globadiers on 28mm bases help convey the scale and the weapons batteries look really good with the little custom bits.

Looks like Krittok and his helper ratmen holding his scabbard and other blade can be assembled completely separately too? Meaning if someone really wanted to they could put them on separate bases, whether for painting or just because.

Cheers guys, glad you like my work, really motivating This is part 2 of my mega review, covering all the Skryre models with high-res sprue images and build options: the Warp-Grinder, Arch-Warlock, Galvaneer, and Doom-flayers.

https://taleofpainters.com/2024/09/review-skaven-warp-grinder-doom-flayers-arch-warlock-warlock-galvaneer/

Thanks again Stahly. Interesting that the Doom Flayers are identical but with just enough variation on them. Should be able to do four unique ones just about.

Age of Sigmar Beginners Set at Barnes and Noble (US)

$35 for 25 models, but I don't feel like squinting to see what the models are.

(OK I squinted, it looks like 5 Liberators and 20 clanrats, better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-beginner-set-games-workshop/1145026373

Oh it's the Intro Set without the paints for a much better price. Not bad. That makes the no-tool sprues make more sense as a mainstream retail product.

Note those same clan rats are $52 from GW

https://www.warhammer.com/en-US/shop/skaven-clanrats-2024

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Note those same clan rats are $52 from GW

https://www.warhammer.com/en-US/shop/skaven-clanrats-2024

They'll be even less expensive when Hachette puts them in the next partwork in a year or two.

A bit sneaky in that it's hardly made very clear the models come unpainted. I can't see it written anywhere on the box that they are supplied unpainted. The CAD illustration of their assembly isn't painted but, still a bit sneaky, it doesn't by itself make it clear.

The line "This set contains everything you need to get started with all aspects of this exciting hobby." seems a bit rich.

The Stormcast Heroes box is interestingly only in that we now have a precedent of going with non-40k subject matter. The models suffer from the problems of the Primaris one of not really being different or interest with respect to the original kits they are reposes of. Unlike the "first born" and Death Guard boxes where there is scope to give them interesting and unique designs, Primaris ones kept the clone trooper aesthetic and lacked the same kind of dynamic posing (And slightly upscaling) and cool alt heads of the first born heroes. I hope for World Eater Heroes one day, excellent subject matter. (Any CSM would be)

These Stormcast lack any interesting or unique details, designs or interesting posing. Like the Primaris the Stormcast are clone troopers. And unlike the Primaris one which formed a full killteam (Now to be retired. It's weird how GW don't have an evergreen Space Marine kill team in normal armour) there isn't much of a reason to collect these disparate Stormcasts with the only of use on it's own being 1/24. It is interesting that they are really leaning into being a Japanese blindbox product with such intense differences in rarities compared to the more subtle ones in previous boxes.

But GW is probably not concerned with the lack of appeal to existing people since they want these to reach out to new people, (Obviously primarily to the unsaturated but very scale model mad market of Japan) rather than be an alternative product to existing kits like the Death Guard (But Chaos players being Chaos players we do love alternative designs and probably a lot of DG players bought these when they had no design to get another box of Plague Marines) and original Space Marines one were. Though if that be the case, why did they bring them over to the West? The Primaris one was to appeal to existing people too but without directly cannibalising sales directly by being a full killteam.

But it does open the door to other AoS forces that do have scope to have unique and interesting designs and be much desired alternative models that might not be practical for the standard kits. Chaos, Orcs, Goblins, Soulblight, FEC and Skaven come to mind. I actually think they might do better in a place like Japan too.

Edit: Turns out the stormcast heroes have official Warcry stats so there is incentive for existing AoS or general Warhammer people to get them but given the odds, it looks like you can't just buy a box to get the whole team. And I finally found the legally-required notice of the models being unpainted unlike the display pictures, a tiny note under the "skill level" notice.

Hmmm, website says my local one has them, might be worth a trip.

closest store that has it is 50 miles away... but i still might order it online, if it's still available in a little bit. been thinking about starting a TOW skaven army with my girlfriend, and cheap clanrats would be a must for that (and then i can find ways to make use of the Stormcast models as well)

I really hate that they went away from the "1 display = guaranteed all models" here. I'm certainly not getting those considering my awful luck for randomized collectibles (last try was the D&D minifigures with 12 different models, I bought 14 boxes and only got 6 different).

The way the odds read, the only one you're not guaranteed is the arcanum. Everything else should be at least one per case.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Age of Sigmar Beginners Set at Barnes and Noble (US)

$35 for 25 models, but I don't feel like squinting to see what the models are.

(OK I squinted, it looks like 5 Liberators and 20 clanrats, better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-beginner-set-games-workshop/1145026373

Thanks for the head's up! I actually wanted 40 more Clanrats, and my wife is sitting on a boatload of B&N gift-cards. Just grabbed two of these on her lunch!

Othar the Half King.

Leaked wight king found on reddit

Here's the image again since the above seems to be gone:

That's weird. The post on reddit was deleted as well

Yep, I'll have him. And his little homunculus minion.

That is one lovely model, very LotR barrow wight feel.