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From:"WILLIAM CALWELL"
Date:Fri, 10 Jul, 2015 at 23:30
Subject:Re:

I'm almost certain that Age of Sigmar is aimed at children in order to get new generation into the hobby. I've never known a tabletop wargame with such simple rules but to be honest that's the main attraction for me. I've always found rules to be the most difficult part of the hobby and a 4 page rulebook is so appealing. It is a shame that they've scrapped all the old Warhammer lore as I've read some incredible novels set in the old world. However, it's also quite exciting to be right at the start of a new system. It seems like the Stormcast Eternals are the space marine equivalents and so far there are only 6 chapters / factions. I really like this limited choice compared to the countless space marine chapters in 40K as I always found it a headache choosing a new chapter.

Some of the rules are very stupid. There's one that allows re-rolls if you pretend to ride a horse and one that gives bonuses to the player with the largest moustache! A spokesman for games workshop has said that none of these silly rules will be included in any of the new factions which is a relief. I personally believe that if Age of Sigmar is a success then 40K will get the same treatment.

I'm certainly hoping that Leon will be able to play Age of Sigmar when I've built all the models. I was nine when I started this hobby and although Leon is only six he's twice as intelligent as I was as a child!

I undercoated and basecoated my model today using an airbrush. The whole process was really quick and the finish is very smooth. I'm hoping to use some quick painting methods to get them built quickly before I lose my motivation. Even if they only get a basecoat I'll be happy to play with them.

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From:"Dave"
Date:Fri, 10 Jul, 2015 at 13:16
Subject:Re:

I read a bit about Age of Sigmar this morning over breakfast. The boxed set does seem like a good deal if you want the models, but I'm not sure about the game - it seems far too simple, good for kids but unlikely to be satisfying for adults. Some of the rules seem totally stupid like getting bonuses for howling like a beast an or holding an expression like a haughty elf. It also seems a shame to throw away all the history of the Warhammer world. I can see why they've done it as the lore is getting somewhat impenetrable, but it doesn't seem necessary. I wonder how long before they reboot the 40k universe too...  Do you think Leon might play it with you?

I can imagine it's difficult to explain characters as either good or bad - especially in comics where a lot changes depending on the storyline and writer. I remember my brother defending Batman saying that he doesn't kill people, but I think there's a lot more to acting morally and being a hero than just not killing people.


On 9 Jul 2015, at 21:01, WILLIAM CALWELL wrote:

Hi Dave. Amanda's feeling better now and she's back at work but unfortunately she's been doing long shifts which hasn't helped her to recover. Also, I haven't watched any of the films you lent me yet. I'm hoping to watch the justice league film with Leon one night as I think he'll enjoy seeing good heroes swapped for evil heroes. Whenever he sees any characters from Marvel or DC he always wants to know if they're good or bad. I've tried explaining that it's not always that simple as allegiances can change and sometimes characters like wolverine still kill people even though they're on the good side. It's a minefield!

I'm planning on buying the Age of Sigmar starter set on Saturday as Harlequins are selling it for £60. That's a load of models for a great price. The game looks really simple and fun and I like the way that the rules and profiles are all free. I also like the fact that there's no points system and it's all about having a good game rather than winning. I've attached a picture of the model that came with the last issue of white dwarf. I'm planning on undercoating him tomorrow and giving him a basecoat of dark red.

ASTRAL TEMPLARS

Here's a picture of my first (unpainted) Astral Templar. I've added plenty of branches to his armour to show that he has been changed by the Gnarlwood. I've also added some flames to his hammer as I've been inspired by the new sunbreaker class titan from Destiny which I've been playing on my PS4. I'm hoping to undercoat him tomorrow and then airbrush him with vallejo model air fire red. I'll be buying the Age of Sigmar box set on Saturday so I'll have plenty of work to do very soon.

STORMCAST ETERNALS

When I look at the 6 colour schemes for the Stormcast Eternals my head swims with the potential of these models and the conversion possibilities. It really is inspiring stuff.

I'm going to have to adjust my painting methods as I'm used to painting tanks and armour because I really don't like shading and highlighting and I much prefer just adding battle damage and weathering instead. Anyway, I've narrowed my choices down to either the Hallowed Knights, the Celestial Vindicators or the Astral Templars.

The Hallowed Knights remind me of the Astral Claws colour scheme during the Badab War and I like the background which says their bodies are scarred. I can imagine some of these models without helms showing their scarred faces. Could be fun.

I also like the Celestial Vindicators solely for their turquoise colour scheme which would really stand out on the tabletop. From past experience I know that orange rusting techniques also look great on any turquoise armour due to the high contrast.

However, my favourite option at the moment is the Astral Templars. Burgundy wouldn't be my first choice for a Stormcast Eternal colour scheme but they have so much conversion potential it's hard to resist. Their description reads "Only the Astral Templars have entered the Gnarlwood and returned victorious. They are the Scourge of Monsters and the Hammer of Beasts". Although they have survived the Gnarlwood (which I imagine to be a dangerous, forest realm) I'm sure they would have been changed by it. Perhaps their armour has been mutated with twisting branches jutting out at awkward angles. Their legs could be wrapped in vines or they may have thorns on their helms. I also like the idea that they are the slayers of monsters and beasts so I could add a few trophies and heads to their belts too.

I still need to decide how to build and paint the model's bases as any shape and size works in the Age of Sigmar. Perhaps a woodland base would be fitting.

SO IT BEGINS

It's finally here. This is the wargame I've been waiting for since I started collecting little soldiers in 1990. Age of Sigmar is the game I've always wanted and I really couldn't be happier that it's now here.

I've played so many wargames in my life including Warhammer 40,000, Lord of the Rings, Mordheim, Malifaux, X-Wing, 7TV, 7th Voyage and countless others. There was always something about those games that I was never quite happy with such as rules that were too complex, a weak theme or just a complete lack of fun. All that has changed though with the Age of Sigmar.

I bought the latest copy of White Dwarf yesterday which goes into great detail about the Age of Sigmar and comes with a free Stormcast Eternal model. I could be wrong but I think it's been about 15 years since the last free model came with White Dwarf so this is a big deal and shows that perhaps Games Workshop are changing back into the company they used to be.

It seems to me that Age of Sigmar has a really strong theme and the Stormcast Eternals and just so cool. They remind me a great deal of space marines and I think most new players will be collecting them. I don't see this as a problem though as most 40K players have at least one space marine army.

I'm not going to discuss the rules in this post as that's something I'm planning on doing in the future. All I will say is that I like the rules and if I was playing against any of the reasonable and sensible people in my gaming goup then I know we won't have any problems interpreting the rules and keeping things fair.