Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire is a newish game by Games Workshop. It was released at the end of 2017 and I noticed it only after buying the Sepulchral Guard for just painting skeletons.
In this post I’ll be discussing my views of the game and how I experienced it while playing. Spoiler alert: I love the game.
Back in the day I used to play Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay for years. It was “my D&D” (since I never really played that). I have a lot of memories about that game, I have made quite a few fan supplements for it, heck, I was even the other admin for long forgotten HAMMERZEIT (web site for WFRP3) and have been running the Daily Empire apparently for seven years…
Every now and then I have tried to get back into the game that really sold roleplaying for me but having been spoiled by Apocalypse World it has never really worked out.
Back while I was really active “some dude” got an idea of remaking the 2nd edition game. Since I really (REALLY) loved the 2nd edition I was immediately on board on this. Then time passed. Games Workshop decided it was better to just destroy the Old World (with Age of Suckmar). I even played a little D&D! But yesterday “that dude” finally did it.
“That dude” is naturally Daniel Fox and his Grim & Perilous Studios. And the game is called ZWEIHÄNDER.
Fantasy Flight Games’ Warhammer Quest: The Adventure Card Game is a brand new version of the ageless classic Warhammer Quest. Both games are set in the Old World and feature a group of heroes going into a dungeon to fight a bunch of monsters with quite high odds of them all dying. The original game had miniatures and cardboard rooms but this brand new version only has what FFG is famous of doing: cards, more cards, custom dice and counters. And naturally one of the most disordered rulebook there is.
When this new version of the Warhammer Quest was announced I could not help but to feel a kind of déjà vu. Fantasy Flight Games taking an old classic and turning it into a whole different beast with a boatload of counters on top? Yes – they did that with the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.
Since I have always liked the approach WFRP 3rd edition had (even though I know a lot of players really disliked it) I was immediately sold on this new approach too. I have nothing against painting miniatures and playing with them (far from it) but if someone is doing a reboot they should at least consider about making it a bit different than the last time (I’m looking at you Film Industry). Otherwise why would I even by the remake?
But since a very few people are interested in the story about “how I bought this new game” I’ll get straight into the juice stuff. Trying out Warhammer Quest: the Adventure Card Game!
Last weekend it was Lauri’s and Sarianna’s (Lauri’s wife) fifth anniversary. For the Guild, that’s just another excuse to play games. (Hopefully Sarianna was aware of this plan.) Since this was pretty close to our usual annual event, PasCon, this sort of became it. (And hopefully, the guests outside of the Guild weren’t too bothered about what they had to witness.)
Since quite a few of the writers on this were there as well (well, everyone except Ville), we decided to join forces and make a common report. So, this might be a bit long. Hang on, there’s bound to be some good parts in there somewhere.
— Aki
If the rumours are to be believed Games Workshop publishes a new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles during this summer. I am one of those who actually believe that Fantasy Flight Games might rekindle their ownership on the rpg version of Warhammer. There is nothing to prove this (so it isn’t even a rumour) and I have been known to be wrong before. But still I think it could happen.
This post is not about speculating of what would, could or should happen. As someone who has been playing Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying game through each edition I thought I could summarise some of my experiences with it.
Last Wednesday we went to a family cabin of mine with the plan for alcohol, sauna and games. Good times!
I had originally thought of hosting something of a Kaiju-themed evening with King of Tokio and an AWhack called Monster Force Terra by James Mullen. As I was feeling a bit sick at the morning I decided to take The Regiment hack by John Harper instead as I knew it would more or less run itself with the guys I was going to the cabin anyway.
Since moving to our new apartment I have had a small room (well, closet to be precise) for painting. After a few years of hiatus I started pretty eagerly with painting again and even posted a couple of ramblings about paints and what I had done. It all died pretty quickly as I am not easily pleased with my own painting. And then there was the unfortunate loss of inspiration with WFRP…
But after that I have every now and then painted something. And it has been relaxing. No pressure on painting large armies to battle with. No campaign to paint perfect minis for. Just using some random models from the vast collections I have hoarded over the years. Continue reading
What? It is almost three weeks since I wrote about getting back to painting. I have been meaning to write a follow-up post since. It seems that I should get cracking on it right now.
In the last miniature painting post I said that I was excited to try out the new technical paints from Games Workshop. And I was right to be as my first impressions from them have been really positive. Once I managed to get them I have found it hard to not to use them.
The paints I did try out. Note that Ryza Rust is NOT a technical paint.
Disclaimer: I’m talking mainly from the point-of-view of a Fantasy Battle player as I have no experience with 40K or the LotR-games.
Since I just recently got back in the game with the miniature painting the “news” about the end of White Dwarf Magazine (by Games Workshop) were quite interesting. I say it’s still “news” as no official status has been given on this. While speculation is usually on Aki’s field at this blog I decided to give it a crack this time.
The White Dwarf magazine started out as a roleplaying magazine with adventures, monsters etc. Over the years it changed until it reached its “final form” and became solely the magazine for Games Workshop’s miniature games. (For further information on the background check for example the wikipage).
Over the years I have read a lot of critical comments on the magazine. A lot of people are blaming it to be only a fancy catalog of models with no real gaming value. I think I still have some old issues with expanded rules for Mordheim stashed somewhere but I can concure that the most recent years it has been just that.
Once upon a time I was an active Warhammer Fantasy Battle player and even more active with painting and converting minis. I have been away from the hobby for a couple of years and with the new Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay campaign ahead I decided to do some minis for the game.
What did not surprise me when I went to get new paints was that they were in fact new. Out with the shades and familiar names, in with a completely new range of colors and types of paints. Though they are again named with overcomplicated names they were not too different from what I had used to deal with.
Base colors are apparently what was called Foundation a couple of years ago and Shades have replaced Washes. Regular colors are now called Layers and then there are couple of new comers (at least for me). Continue reading