8th Edition: What Are You Loving So Far?
We here at Frontline Gaming are curious as to what you all are enjoying or not enjoying about this new edition so far.
8th ed 40k has gone bananas, that much is obvious. Stores are selling out of the new books and kits, leagues and clubs are swelling in numbers and we anticipate record breaking attendance to Games Workshop events this year. So, the edition is obviously a hit!
But, what do you all like so far and not like? For me, it is very interesting to see folks go through the ups and downs and adjustments to this new edition that I have already gone though previously. When I read some of this information from community members I simply nod and say, yeah, just be patient that stage will pass quickly. Some of it I have to agree with as I see things from another perspective. I’ve also been fortunate enough to teach some players totally fresh to the game how to play, and see them pick up the rule-set quickly and easily.
As a Gamer What I Love:
- The removal of un-fun (IMO) elements of the game such as “Deathstars” which were too durable, powers and rules that tended to dominate the game (Hunter’s Eye, Invisibility, etc.) and bloated lists with free points which took hours and hours to play.
- The streamlining of the game and emphasis placed on in-game decision making as opposed to optimal list writing (although that is still very important).
- The move to units and armies that play closer to their lore but are still effective on the tabletop in a competitive setting. I’m looking at you, Berserkers!
As a Retailer What I love:
- The reasonable price point to get started in the hobby for a new player. As you tend to have less units on the table, the new player can get rolling easier which lowers the barrier to entry. As we all know this hobby keeps you hooked for years, so as a retailer I am confident that customer will continue to purchase goodies as they start new armies or expand existing armies, but now it is a lot easier to get them going.
- The ease of teaching new players the game. Much as with 8th ed Fantasy; 7th ed 40k was a morass of rules that was very difficult to approach for the new player and often we saw customers choose a simpler game as their eyes glazed over while we tried to explain how to simply build an army in 7th ed 40k.
- We brought vastly more new hobbyists in with Age of Sigmar during this period of time due to the two above reasons and it convinced me that this was the right business model for a successful miniatures game.
As a Tournament Organizer what I love:
- A rule set that is vastly more streamlined. This means less judging staff needed to run an event, less rules debates, more time spent enjoying an event.
- A responsive Games Workshop that wants this edition of the game to be great, and is willing to support it with speedy and clear support.
However, it isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, of course. Some material is a bit unclear and units here and there could be better or worse but much of that is subjective. In general, I am just thrilled with 8th ed and am so happy to see others sharing that enthusiasm.
I am a bit close to this project though for obvious reasons.
~What are all of your opinions at this early stage in the new edition of the game we all love?
