Xathrodox86 rants about various stuff, doesn't get mad for a change

A lot is happening right now in the RPG/wargaming world, so I've decided to share a few thoughts about various stuff, that's going on right now.

What a time to be alive! I love that so much is going on, especially with relation to Warhammer and Games Workshop in general. First of all, we have "Total War: Warhammer 2" is just around the corner, and it looks just as good as the first game. I'm pretty sure that it will be as good too! I simply love that they've included not only Ulthuan and Naggaroth but Lustria as well, since Lizardmen are one of my all time favourite Warhammer races. I can already see the awesome DLC's as well - the undead pirates of the Vampire Coast, the Amazons and maybe even the fantastic Tichi-Huichi's Raiders. The possibilities are many, and these are just for Lustria. Imagine what Creative Assembly will be able to do with the eternal war between the two elven races.

Hooooly shiiit!!!

"TW: Warhammer 2" is not the only, promising video game, related to tabletop, that is coming in our way. "Warhammer: Vermintide 2" has been announced a few weeks ago, and on 17th of October we should recieve a much more detailed presentation. Already a bunch of screenshots have made their way to people over the internet, as well as system specs. It promises to at least repeat the success of the first game, and there are subtle hints, presented in the screen captures, about the elves. Could the Asur play a role in "Vermintide 2"? I'd love to see Kerillian and a Shadow Warrior, bickering over whose culture is the best, while making jests at Bardin's expense. I also hope for a bigger variety, when it comes to enemies and a better loot system. Seriously, "Vermintide's" loot mechanic sucks balls, but that's my only, real issue that I have with this game. Oh, and Fatshark announced that another DLC is coming. I do wonder what it'll give us, and if it'll be any good. Knowing the game's creators, I'm sure that it will live up to the previous ones' standards.

Two days before my birthday, the fols from Fatshark are already giving me one of the best, possible presents!

Cubicle 7 are really upping up their game, when it comes to the 4th edition of WFRP and the Age of Sigmar RPG. Not only did we got a lot of info about the differences between the two titles, and their mechanics (I'm glad that it will be more in spirit of the 1st and 2nd edition of the game), but also they've released an online bundle, which contains all of the WFRP 2ed PDF's, as well as 1st edition rulebook. Not only that, but the price for all of these goodies is just too good to pass. I have huge hopes with both of these games. In all truth I'm waiting for the AoS RPG more, than for the 4th edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Why? Well, as I've mentioned in one of my earlier posts, this is a real chance for the Age of Sigmar to establish itself as a game with a really interesting lore. As of now, it's just 40K in a fantasy world, with very little emphasis on anything, besided endless war. This role-playing game can change that, and I hope that it will. AoS has a huge fanbase and they deserve the best, possible product. I hope that they'll recieve it, and who knows... maybe it will even help me change my stubborn mind, about this setting? I will definetly check it out, as well as the newest iteration of WFRP. These two games can't come soon enough!

Seriously, the hype is real

A bunch of information about the 4th edition of WFRP, as well as the AoS role-playing game, can be found here.

Also a new WH40K RPG has been announced. It's called "Wrath & Glory", and not only does it promises the chance to play as a dirty xeno, but it will also be based around a new D6 mechanic. This is a very good news, since one of my biggest issue with the FFG's 40K RPG's, is the fact that they're using the D100 rules from WFRP. Sure it is slightly modified, but using a ruleset from a title, in which you mainly fight hand-to-hand, in a game with a huge emphasis on shooting stuff, is just bad. Here's to Ulisses, the game's publisher, to present us with a great and fun title, at least as good as the first "Dark Heresy" and "Only War". You can find preview of the game here.

I especially like the fact that it will give the players a chance to play, as almost any faction from the game

Speaking some more of 40K, the 8th edition has established itself firmly with the players now, and while I don't have any experience with it (yet), it seems to be a much better iteration of the game, than the last one. Of course that's not saying much, since 7th edition was an abomination, favouring certain factions, while shitting on others, lacking any semblence of balance, and generally being an unplayable mess (unless you were collecting Space Marines, Eldar or the Tau). 40K 8th is much more balanced, at least on a first glance. Sure, already certain "players" are trying to find loopholes, broken builds and combos, and other such shit. Fortunately, this time GW is working really hard to fix the majority of this kind of issues, such as the now infamous, Storm Raven spam. Errata's and FAQ's have been worked on really hard, and it's good to see that the Games Workshop is not favouring only one or two factions, anymore. Altough I'm pretty sure that a lot of entitled crybabies are still salty about the nerf, that happened to their grav spam or the infamous Iron Hand Chapter Master on a bike. I bet that their tears of rage are delicious.

Funnily enough, I've been so immeresed in the Warhammer Fantasy world, for the past few months, that I know very little about the new story arc of 40K. Guilliman's back, which is... ok, I guess. I'm not a fan of the Primarchs returning, since it really does degrade the whole "mythology" thing, around which the Warhammer 40,000 is built, but from what I've gathered, they're making this plot in a decent and competent manner. Which is good. I yet to have to read the "Dark Imperium" by Guy Haley, as well as check on the whole Ultramar campaign thingie, but Games Workshop seems to be doing a decent job with pushing the storyline further a bit. Good for them, and good for us.

Looking good there, Bobby!

Lastly we come to the Black Library and the "Horus Heresy" series, which is coming to an end. The last HH meeting took place some time ago, during which the authors supposedly talked about the final part of this behemeoth series. For me the Great Heresy can't end soon enough, since it really did overstayed its welcome. Seriously, how friggin' much can you milk a franchise, especially one which quality is a really mixed bag? There have been whole years, when we've been bombarded with shit, like the Salamanders and Imperium Secundus story arcs. Then there were all of the anthologies, many of whom duplicated themselves, as well as whole plots that led to nowhere, or were simply dissapointing. Don't get me wrong tough - I still think that 30K in general is a much more interesting time in this universe, than the 40K, but at some point it must come to an end. It overstayed its welcome, and I'd like for the authors in BL to close it, preferrably as fast as possible. Which will probably take at least 2-3 more years. Sigh.

I was there in 2006, when it all started

Come on guys, use your imagination. 40K has so many cool periods, which can be explored to their full capacity, like the fabled Astropath Wars, for example. There is life beyond the Horus Heresy, you know. Try and find it, not only for yourselves, but also for us, your fans.

Actually this reminded me, that I really need to catch on the HH series. The last book which I've read, was the excellent "Master of Mankind", and there have been a few titles, released after it, which I should really look into.

Finally the "ZWEIHÄNDER" print-on-demand is here! Availabe from the DriveThruRPG, you can (and should) get it and try it out, for it is a wonderful game, akin to the WFRP of old. The team behind this project really did an immense job, and I can't stress enough, how much I admire their work. I do plan on making a loooong and detailed review of this game in the (near) future, but let me just say, that any fan of the classic Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay should try this one out. You won't be dissapointed, I promise.

Pictured: a damn good game

So that's it for this post. Yeah, there's a lot going on in the RPG/Tabletop/tie-in video games world right now, and us fans, we're really spoiled for choices. Which is good, as we should be - this is our hobby, our passion, and I for one, am very happy to be a part of these events. I hope that you are as well.

Until next time!

Xathrodox86