As promised, we are going to discuss our next big selling game for Gamers Link Chicago: the Games Workshop games - Warhammer Fantasy Battle, and Warhammer 40K. As I mentioned in a previous episode, Eddie and I met at a Games Workshop store, so we are both coming from a point of being very strong with this game / hobby. My specialty / interest lies mostly with WFB, while Ed is a pretty staunch 40K player.
Games Workshop games are loads of fun, because it has a few dimensions that just don't come along with any other game. With the hobby / painting aspect of the game, it is great for just being alone and zoned out. Especially with the more modern plastic kits they offer, it is kind of like a 3D model, mixed with a puzzle, that function in an internationally played game once they are done. Some of models are just amazing, like the High Elf Lothern Skycutter chariot, or the flying Dragon-jet of the 40K Chaos Space Marines, the Helldrake.
Even though you have pretty much everything you need from each kit, the game fully supports adding your own touches to make a unique model. This can range from swapping heads with another model, to adding elaborate clothing or armor with sculpting putty. Depending on the army of choice, the range of colors to paint the figures is completely up to the owner, offering even greater customization.
Once you are done being alone, you can come and play some games. The rules for both games are intricate enough to give the games proper structure, but rely upon friendly agreement as to some of the parameters of the game. This makes the game naturally a bit more casual, though it can be played in tournament settings. Usually, good sportsmanship is a primary factor in final tournament scorings, so players are encouraged to be cordial, and ready to compromise.
With that said, these games are a bit complex to learn. Once you understand the central core of how the basic functions work, the game gets much smoother, but there is still usually a lot of looking things up. Warhammer 40K plays a bit more viscerally, reminiscent of a FPS / RTS type feel, whereas Warhammer FB is definitely more chess-like, and tactical.
The biggest issue with Games Workshop games is definitely the price of the models, which seems to constantly rise. A lot of people get angry, but I think this is a result of global economics, because the actual price of the stuff in British Pounds is roughly the same as it used to be. The Dollar is doing worse lately, so the price can get iffy. We give greats deals to our customers to compensate, but these games do have a higher price-of-entry than card games do.
Sure, Magic will end up costing so much more than a Warhammer army, but making a terrible 60-card deck to participate in FNM can cost literally nothing more than the price of entry to Standard. I lend out decks for people to play, and most of my regulars would, too. Actually participating in a full game of either Warhammer games is quite a bit more.
For a practical gamer like me, this could kill the deal, but really what drives this game is the actual time it takes to build the models for play (painting usually comes later). You can drop a bunch of money on Magic cards, slap them in a deck, and then buy a bunch more. With Warhammer, you buy a kit one week, put it together for a while, maybe paint a little bit, and then the next week, you have time for another kit. Learning the game also takes time, so the slower progression helps to avoid spending money on models that don't fit your play style.
Both Eddie and I can teach either game system, and will let people play with our collections to check out the game. We always have two tables set up for games (the first thing you see in the game room is a Warhammer table), and a painting / modeling station set up where you can use our supplies. I love putting the models together, so I don't mind helping out with that.
We are currently running a Warhammer 40K escalation league, which has armies face off against each other as they gradually grow in size. I am playing my space Elves, the Eldar, while Ed is playing Chaos Daemons *cough* OP *cough*. There are a few Tau armies in the mix, as well as a White Scars bike army, Orks, and another Eldar player.
No comments:
Post a Comment