Age of Sigmar : first miniatures revealed.

[Red Dox]

For example if they pull the basic High Elf infantry kits like Spearmen and Archers people are going to be like "OMG are they killing off High Elves?" When in reality we've been waiting for those kits to get updated for like a decade.

But you would not get a new High Elves box. You would get a shiny new Highdarkwood Elves box, with will possibly get some of the "new style" for AoS (as seen in the pictures here or the Endtimes models since last year) thrown into the mix. And yes, I can not even imagine what the "new unified elves" would look like...

We have to see what comes next but in a sense, Yes, they would kill off High Elves if the actual miniature range cease to exist and only the new elves are for sale But that is the fear for all "Oldhammer" factions and models right now because we know nothing about what GW is planning and they tell us nothing in advance. That we even get AoS advertising a month before it hit the shelves, was at least something. But the usual "You know nothing, Jon Snow" until it is one week before preorder continues.

-----Red Dox

[HigoChumbo]

Yeah, I've said since the beggining (even before I knew of Age of Sigmar) that Warhammer needed a big update/redesign, so when I learnt about all this I though it was a great idea... but that does not mean that anything they might do will be better than the current material, they have to make it good. If they end up replacing the old miniatures with "worse" (I know, it's subjetive, but still) designs... I don't know, as said, I believe those humans will be pretty much the "all-round tutorial faction", we might see more interesting stuff when they release the rest.

[HigoChumbo]

Ok, so the names of those two armies are Stormcast Eternals and Khorne Goretide, which makes me think that there will in fact be more human (and chaos) factions.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

(By the way, ladies, the game launches this Saturday).

[Col. Tartleton]

But you would not get a new High Elves box. You would get a shiny new Highdarkwood Elves box, with will possibly get some of the "new style" for AoS (as seen in the pictures here or the Endtimes models since last year) thrown into the mix. And yes, I can not even imagine what the "new unified elves" would look like...

Probably like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Looking back the merger seems to have been in the works from before Mat Ward finished writing Dark Elves for 8th edition. Games Workshop went out of their way to make the armies more similar in terms of profiles, rules, and aesthetics. Look how similar these units are. They're practically Space Marine Chapters. A central Generic Elf box with a variety of upgrade sprues would do the job. Dark Elves and Wood Elves also have sub faction specific icons but I can't find good pictures of them.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Påsan]

Pretty wierd timing from a marketing standpoint though. Say TW:W is awesome. New fans are going to the shops to get into the tabletop.

"Oh no we do not have cannons or steam tanks or great swords, we have these sigmarines though! They have giant shoulder pads! Much cooler!"

[paradamed]

Those EMpire miniatures look horrible. They do not fit WF. They look more like 40K minis. I think this is the silly way GW found to suitable to increase their sales in WF minis.

[Evan MF]

As someone who never really got into Warhammer but occasionally walked into GW shops to look at miniatures, these Age of Sigmar models look pretty uninspired. They do seem to emulate the 40K space marines, sucking all semblance of European historicity from the factions. I have always suspected 40K to be of more North American appeal and Fantasy to be of more European appeal and would not be surprised if that was the general breakdown. I would imagine American youth's complete apathy to their ancestor's European history is why the whole space marine look is more appealing to them than some alternate history of Renaissance Europe stuff. I've always liked fantasy that acts as an alternate reality to real human history, e.g. Victorian Steampunk or Tolkein's, essentially, alternate celtic mythology in Middle Earth. Whilst Warhammer Fantasy always felt a bit over the top for me to ever get into, I could definitely appreciate it's historical/western mythological inspiration, especially in the more humanoid factions (humans/elves/dwarves). I think one of the aesthetic blunders of these models is also the fact that they all seem to have the same profile/silhouette shape, making them look rather unoriginal with respect to each other, thereby lacking in personality; something which old Fantasy Warhammer did well. The minimalism in the banners and flags also completely shuns the rich and lavish renaissance elements of Warhammer fantasy. As an outsider to Warhammer I have to agree AoS looks terrible and whilst I always considered investing in Warhammer Fantasy in the past, I wouldn't never touch this AoS stuff with a 10 ft pole. With all that being said, and with the additional rumour of fewer factions in AoS than previously, the word 'streamlining' comes to mind on the part of GW. Is Warhammer about to go through it's own Rome 2?

[HigoChumbo]

The minimalism in the banners and flags also completely shuns the rich and lavish renaissance elements of Warhammer fantasy.

You should take a look at their ForgeWorld miniatures:

(nvm, misunderstood your post)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[frenchyvinnie]

Pretty wierd timing from a marketing standpoint though. Say TW:W is awesome. New fans are going to the shops to get into the tabletop.

"Oh no we do not have cannons or steam tanks or great swords, we have these sigmarines though! They have giant shoulder pads! Much cooler!"

I think the decision to switch to The End Times was made only relatively recently, after GW's disastrous financial results last year. I won't bore anyone with the details of GW's 2014 annual report (for those interested, find it here: http://investor.games-workshop.com/w...al-website.pdf), but basically, the company's profits are in free-fall right now due to a decreasing customer base and decreasing sales.

Coincidentally, we only started hearing rumors about big changes with Warhammer 9th edition (aka The End Times, aka Age of Sigmar) in late 2014, probably at the time GW's management realized they were in big trouble if they didn't bring radical changes to their product.

On the other hand, the partnership between GW and CA was probably signed way earlier than that. My guess would be that the game entered its very early development sometime in 2013, long before the idea of the End Times was ever born out of the dimwitted, reptilian minds at GW's HQ.

[Twido]

I actually thought it was a good idea, it's not like the old lore is a masterpiece of universal literature. snip

While I agree with a lot of what you are saying about the direction GW is going in, I don't think the old lore deserves to be written off. It may be that you can't call it a masterpiece of literature, but it is big. Not just big, I can't think of anything fictional that comes anywhere close to just how vast and rich the lore is. While some of it may be trashy, there are also some gems hidden in there too and some concepts that are reasonably unique.

My personal opinion is that age of Sigmar will be a bit of a flop and there will be a 9th edition Warhammer fantasy at some point. A really good rules system might save it but, be honest, what are the chances of that coming out of GW these days?

[Thorn777]

Maybe by Endtimes they mean their own end?

[Ringeck]

Oh boy. The rules have been spoiled and they are truly bad. Like, people found 10+ game-breaking exploits in ten minutes and the whole thing can be decided in deployment.

[panzerschreck]

For me games workshop has made its first big error when they replace metal by plastic in the 1990's and then when they increase the prices at a delirious level, specially on heroes, trolls etc. Luckely I can buy all the miniatures I want in metal, in old style with second hands miniatures or others retailers. I found these new miniatures horrible and this is a totally other game, I am not sure there will be many clients for that.

[Carl Jung was right]

I say it's high time for GW to die and give up the rights of its franchise to Creative Commons.

[Red Dox]

Maybe by Endtimes they mean their own end?

The end of Games Workshop is several years in the future, if they do not get their together. As long as 40k is a strong leg to stand on, the giant will not fall easily.

But yes, it looks grim dark for fantasy in the moment. If someone is interested in the AoS rules (that should come for free this weekend)
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-6.jpg
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-7.jpg
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-8.jpg
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-9.jpg
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...can0004-10.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIxQoMAWsAAOqtv.png:large
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/...u.jpg~original

Models
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-1.jpg
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-2.jpg
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/06/3...scan0004-5.jpg

-----Red Dox

[Påsan]

So the sigmarines are actually angels (of death)


Rules look like Warhammer-really-light.

[HigoChumbo]

So, Age of Sigmar's factions:

• Order – Sigmar, Duardim, Aelf, Seraphon
• Chaos – Mortal Tribes, Breyherds, Skaven, Deamons
• Death – Nagash, Vampires, All undead
• Destruction – Orruks, Grots, Ogors

And the realms:




-source-

[Baron of Hyrule]

You forgot the red slayers who appear to be a mercenary faction of humans. They'll probably be the imperial guard of AoS with lots of regular humans to choose from.

I like the magic realm parts, could be interesting to see warscrolls made to describe that kind of special landscapes.

[Påsan]

So we're playing Heroes of Might and Magic now?

[Baron of Hyrule]

Haha, seems like it. Though I agree with the earlier statement of Dark Souls similarities. We have a god-king who throws lightning and a force of warriors who lose their humanity everytime they're resurrected. If they add more grimdark elements this could go into helping AoS though.