New Look WD - A review

[Wildeybeast]

Ok, a brief overview based on my skim read this morning. I'm focusing on the content as I couldn't care less about the layout and paper material used in a magazine, providing it is legible and doesn't fall to pieces in my hands. Other opinions are of course available.

The Old stuff - All the regular and semi-regular stuff is in there, with a bit of re-branding and re-vamping. New releases (with expanded coverage of FW, BL and licensed products) battle report, how to paint, Standard Bearer (now the JJ column), Hall of Fame, listings and pictures of pretty models/armies. Oh and the wonderful Blanchistu

New Stuff - some interesting bits here, so I'll go into them in a bit more detail.

The Rivals - two veterans get put head to head in a tactical debate on two different armies they have constructed. I like this, it is bit basic in some parts, but there is enough there to keep both vets and noobs interested. Assuming they rotate the armies and systems, this could be a good feature which gives folks an insight into enemy armies as well as a new take on the ones they play.

The Horus Heresy - apart from the feature on the sculpting of Angron (which is great), glorified advertising, nothing more.

Kit Bash - The name says it all, pictures and brief descriptions of kit bashed models. Perfectly serviceable

Battle Ground - I was almost tempted to put this in the old stuff, as it's basically a pumped up look at some of the big battle boards they make. A bit lazy really, the limited and sporadic insights into how it's made will be of use to only the beginner terrain maker.

Jeremy Vetock column. Does what it says on the tin. If you like Standard Bearer (which I do) you will like this.

This Month In... First off a moan. There is some awesome stuff in here, so why in the name of God is it stuck at the back of the magazine, after the listing section!? I'm sure a number of people will miss it because they hit the listings, assume that is the end of the mag and stop reading. The good stuff however is that it gives an insight into what the different sections of GW have been doing this month - WD, FW, BL and the Design Studio. The WD stuff is ok if you want to know how the magazine is made, the BL stuff has columns from a couple of authors which is good, the FW one is just a couple of pieces of artwork and a how to paint which is a bit lame, but the Design Studio is the crowning jewel. We finally have a return to discussing the creation process of the latest release. This week, Phil and Jes discuss Chaos Space Marines!

Overall, I'm cautiously happy with the new direction. There is just about enough good new stuff to justify the £1 price increase, providing they continue giving us extra content to use in games as they have done over the last year or so.

Oh, I almost forgot, happily there is not a single page of LotR (apart from a Hobbit teaser picture of Sir Ian)!

[Deadlift]

I just subscribed to the digital version, works out at £3.75 a copy. In comparison to the paper version I prefer the digital. Zooming in on models and being able to see paint jobs in greater details is good. 360 views of the new stuff and additional video content. Did you notice that there are actually two different versions of Angron in the magazine. One has red and gold armour, whilst the other is just mainly gold.

You obviously missed the Gondor models in the hobby showcase section. That's quite enough LOTR for one issue.

Originally I was contemplating buying both paper and digital, I think for me digital only is the way forward.

[Mr Mystery]

I'm really rather liking it! Feels like solid quality, and the layout is most pleasing.

Gatefolds are cool as well.

Not at all bad for the £1 price increase I'm sure most would agree.

[eldargal]

Isn't there supposed to be a free poster? What about the free poster?:(

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

It's Angron or that Contemptor, double sided poster.

[eldargal]

Nifty, what size? A4 (boo)? A3 (yay)? A2 (woo!)?:p

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Does sound like there have been -some- improvements, and certainly looks like there are a few decent articles, but personally it doesnt look like theres anything of interest to me unless there are there any fluff articles in there, nobody has mentioned anything of the sort yet? so are there any at all?

[Mr Mystery]

Erm. A2ish. I think. It's four times the size of the mag anyway.

[eldargal]

Good, another big poster for my painting room. I love 40k/WFB posters. I thought it was a good sign them including one then worried maybe it would be small.:rolleyes:

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I would have answered but I was shopping. :p

Yeah, I would gauge it as A3 actually.
I'm definitely using the Angron side, quite tempted to cosplay him at some point... Butcher's Nails and all! :D

[moffom]

contentwise, there is nothing new and certainly no new fluff / strategy articles worth noting. The "insider" at the back is certainly the most interesting feature but you'll have to wade through 60+ pages of advertising in all forms available.
qualitywise, it's a big jump forward and it places WD in the top tier of hobby magazines (alongside Wargames Illustrated) imho.

The "new direction" mentioned by GW is certainly non-obvious for the time being, I think we'll have to wait

[fuzzbuket]

I would have answered but I was shopping. :p

Yeah, I would gauge it as A3 actually.
I'm definitely using the Angron side, quite tempted to cosplay him at some point... Butcher's Nails and all! :D

BREAKING: TDA HAS CONFIRMED ThAT HE WILL BRING A FULL SUIT OF PRIMARCH ARMOUR AND A PAIR OF WORKING CHAINBLADES TO BOLSCON UK. more on the news at 7

[Wildeybeast]

I just subscribed to the digital version, works out at £3.75 a copy. In comparison to the paper version I prefer the digital. Zooming in on models and being able to see paint jobs in greater details is good. 360 views of the new stuff and additional video content. Did you notice that there are actually two different versions of Angron in the magazine. One has red and gold armour, whilst the other is just mainly gold.

You obviously missed the Gondor models in the hobby showcase section. That's quite enough LOTR for one issue.

Originally I was contemplating buying both paper and digital, I think for me digital only is the way forward.

I obviously did. In my defence, it was a skim read and I never really bother lingering on the pretty pictures.


Does sound like there have been -some- improvements, and certainly looks like there are a few decent articles, but personally it doesnt look like theres anything of interest to me unless there are there any fluff articles in there, nobody has mentioned anything of the sort yet? so are there any at all?

No fluff that I could see. There might be some within the blurb on new models and such like, but no fluff specific articles.


Erm. A2ish. I think. It's four times the size of the mag anyway.

I agree with TDA, it's definitely A3.


contentwise, there is nothing new and certainly no new fluff / strategy articles worth noting. The "insider" at the back is certainly the most interesting feature but you'll have to wade through 60+ pages of advertising in all forms available.
qualitywise, it's a big jump forward and it places WD in the top tier of hobby magazines (alongside Wargames Illustrated) imho.

The "new direction" mentioned by GW is certainly non-obvious for the time being, I think we'll have to wait

I disagree entirely. The new direction is blatantly obvious, from the different layout and paper, to the new articles and expanded old ones. How much of that will remain the same over coming months will have to be established, but in comparison to last months the differences are clear. I also disagree about strategy articles, The Rivals is a massive step up from anything they have done in a long time in that department. Sure, it's going to be of limited use for vets, but they need to try to make every article accessible to all types of gamers.
For me quality, is what's in the magazine, not what it's made out of. And as someone who collects fine editions of books, there is little improvement in the paper quality, it just seems thicker. Given that, unless it has useful hobby article or new content which people want to save, most people are going to chuck it in the recycling when they are done, the paper quality is of very limited value.

[moffom]

In terms on content, one stategy article in a 140+ pages-magazine is not a new direction for me it's a token article trying to put on paper what's in internet forums (can you say deathstar ?). I was expecting more substance that's all and a new layout doesn't make it all I think. The latter half of the magazine of the magazine is nice, worth reading indeed but tepid in a way. If you just play the game, it's next to worthless. If you paint it's a bit better though.

[Wildeybeast]

Fair enough, I agree the strat article is a bit limited, but it needs to be something the 14 year old kid who's just picked up his first WD can access as well. If you are someone who reads internet forums for tactical advice, there is probably very little they could put in the mag that you wouldn't already know anyway. It's still got too many pictures and too much advertising for my liking and needs more stuff to expand on the games, but it is a massive improvement on the dross they put out last month (though it would be hard for it to be worse!)

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

Like the sound of the design studio stuff at the back. Kinda tempted to get it now there's now an easy-access digital option for iPads.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

It's a lovely magazine. It actually feels, looks and reads like a magazine now. It's all been rationalised - not the same pictures/sales pitch 15 times. The content mix reminds me of how it was about 15 years ago, when I started reading it. Lots of varied things - army showcases, tactics, columns, "how we did this" features. It's a shame it took them so long to produce a magazine like the ones that computer games and so on have been served by for 15 years already, but they did it, and it's wonderful.

I'm gonna subscribe. Basically its quality now justifies its price point, and it's a bloody good thing for it.

[DrLove42]

I like it. I feel the battle rep could be clearer, with a map for instance. The conversion bit could feature more step by step bits

And they stole my Best of BoLS article format of showing off just peoples models they send in....

[JGRSound]

Much prefer the look and feel, personally gate fold pages just annoy me mainly because i end up buggering them up and as i'm usually reading it with a toddler shouting strawbarines daddy(no idea where that word came from he had space marines perfectly a couple of months back now they're strawbarines)and pointing aggressively at the pages they're going to get ripped. Over all pretty the tactics discussion just felt a little dumbed down for me, not really representative of all those conversations we've had at tournaments during saturday night beers.
So first impression cool, but now becoming the emperors new clothes.

[Wildeybeast]

Much prefer the look and feel, personally gate fold pages just annoy me mainly because i end up buggering them up and as i'm usually reading it with a toddler shouting strawbarines daddy(no idea where that word came from he had space marines perfectly a couple of months back now they're strawbarines)and pointing aggressively at the pages they're going to get ripped. Over all pretty the tactics discussion just felt a little dumbed down for me, not really representative of all those conversations we've had at tournaments during saturday night beers.
So first impression cool, but now becoming the emperors new clothes.

Maybe he's been playing Space Marine, that sounds a bit like how the Orks pronounce 'Space Marine'

[energongoodie]

It's Bobbins. I went in full of hope! I believed the whole 'new direction' spin. I wanted to believe it so bad.
I picked it up this afternoon, I put it down this afternoon. Other than design and layout it is still fundamentally boring. I fail to see the new direction? It is still an advert mag with out the hobby stuff to make it good. I'm hoping this is just a transition period and therefore there is better to come, but if it were me, I'd of come out of the gate with a belter!
In my opinion they did not. I'm still gonna hope next month brings something better though

We have a phrase we use at work on a regular basis. "You can't polish a turd. But you can poor glitter on it."

So far it feels like the shiny new cover, nice paper and modern logo are just a pile of glitter.

[Herzlos]

Fair enough, I agree the strat article is a bit limited, but it needs to be something the 14 year old kid who's just picked up his first WD can access as well. If you are someone who reads internet forums for tactical advice, there is probably very little they could put in the mag that you wouldn't already know anyway. It's still got too many pictures and too much advertising for my liking and needs more stuff to expand on the games, but it is a massive improvement on the dross they put out last month (though it would be hard for it to be worse!)

I think that sums it up, and is the reason I'm not likely to renew my sub; it's good for newer gamers and people actively interested in everything that's new, but there's very little in it that's not already been available online, or anything to keep vets or cynics interested in.

Plus, I twitch every time I read "the games workshop hobby" :p.

[eldargal]

See I don't understand that, there is a Games Workshop hobby in the same way as there is aHornby hobby for model trains, it is a sub-hobby but it is still there. As silly as some people may find it there are a lot of people who, for whatever reason, just want GW productsin a GW setting.

As for White Dwarf, the general impression seems positive but I want to see more terrain and scenery articles myself. They host some amazing seminars where they use multiple kits to build some really impressive structures, it would be wonderful if they did a multi-part series showing how to build one of them in WD. Might boost terrain sales too.
http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=2878&d=1348587109

[Herzlos]

See I don't understand that, there is a Games Workshop hobby in the same way as there is aHornby hobby for model trains, it is a sub-hobby but it is still there. As silly as some people may find it there are a lot of people who, for whatever reason, just want GW productsin a GW setting.

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone refer to model trains as a Hornby hobby, or have any examples of other situations where a leading brand has their own hobby (or goes to the same lengths to deny the existence of any other competition within the 'hobby'). Yes some people (including my gaming friend) are pretty much exclusively interested in GW stuff, but it still doesn't make it a GW hobby.


As for White Dwarf, the general impression seems positive but I want to see more terrain and scenery articles myself. They host some amazing seminars where they use multiple kits to build some really impressive structures, it would be wonderful if they did a multi-part series showing how to build one of them in WD. Might boost terrain sales too.
http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=2878&d=1348587109

Definitely :)

[eldargal]

But it does, if you play just 40k and/or WFB then your hobby is a GW hobby. I'm not overly fond of the termy myself, I just use tabletop wargaming, but it's not exactly offensive. Good sense for any company to try and define the hobby through their own terms, which GW genuinely have done in the UK and Europe at least. Saying tabletop wargaming gets you blank stares, but Warhammer or Warhammer 40k or Games Workshop they know.

Should have my own copy of WD soon, seems to be more popular amongst my brothers, they are hogging it and I don' want to buy my own 'til I've read it.:(

[Herzlos]

I can certainly cope with people using it as it's a decent enough descriptor in some cases (like avoiding the tabletop wargaming blank stares), I just dislike its use because of the huge range of stuff it ignores (like historics which I find more interesting) :)

[Kyban]

It's basically a mini PR campaign, their trying to set their line apart from others and keep that exclusivity going. I think it's fine to be as specific as you want though, you could very well call historics the "historical miniatures hobby" and it wouldn't include games workshop, doesn't mean that stuff is entirely ignored.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Some historical gamers do indeed see it as a defined hobby themselves and see sci-fi/fantasy as a seperate thing. It's fair enough really, whatever you like, right? :)

Doesnt sound like WD would be worth it - for me at personally I mean, I'm certainly not going to put down those that like it! If they start adding some fluff articles I may give it another go - I remember the issues from the mid 90s I used to have had articles on stuff like specific chaos warbands and craftworlds ect and that sort of stuff really inspired me to start armies of those at the time, and I know for others I knew at the time it did too! so I definitly think it would be a good idea for them to add stuff like that again - I understand short-stories and such are more the domain of Black Library nowadays but I think more general articles like I mentioned would work really well. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?

[Wildeybeast]

As for White Dwarf, the general impression seems positive but I want to see more terrain and scenery articles myself.

The one article they did have on terrain was pretty rubbish. They could have done a lot more with it.



Should have my own copy of WD soon, seems to be more popular amongst my brothers, they are hogging it and I don' want to buy my own 'til I've read it.:(

Unless you want the poster, I'd wait to read your brother's (or brothers'?) copy.

[Kyban]

Doesnt sound like WD would be worth it - for me at personally I mean, I'm certainly not going to put down those that like it! If they start adding some fluff articles I may give it another go - I remember the issues from the mid 90s I used to have had articles on stuff like specific chaos warbands and craftworlds ect and that sort of stuff really inspired me to start armies of those at the time, and I know for others I knew at the time it did too! so I definitly think it would be a good idea for them to add stuff like that again - I understand short-stories and such are more the domain of Black Library nowadays but I think more general articles like I mentioned would work really well. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?

I like that idea. Right now it just seems like there's a lot of pictures and not a lot of content. I tend to just skim someone else's copy instead of buying, if there was more meat to it that might change.

[eldargal]

Well I do want the poster.:p

[Kyban]

I bet I could make my own poster out of the available artwork online, definitely going to give that a shot when I get a chance. I wonder what type of paper you'd need to make a good one? To google!

[magickbk]

Doesnt sound like WD would be worth it - for me at personally I mean, I'm certainly not going to put down those that like it! If they start adding some fluff articles I may give it another go - I remember the issues from the mid 90s I used to have had articles on stuff like specific chaos warbands and craftworlds ect and that sort of stuff really inspired me to start armies of those at the time, and I know for others I knew at the time it did too! so I definitly think it would be a good idea for them to add stuff like that again - I understand short-stories and such are more the domain of Black Library nowadays but I think more general articles like I mentioned would work really well. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?

I think the oldest issue of WD in my collection is 174. Before that I used to read my friends' copies. By that time I feel that a lot of what people loved about WD was fading. The problem with a lot of the stories and added stuff back in those early days is that there was little continuity between the main rules/story and what was in White Dwarf. (Half-Eldar Ultramarine Librarians anyone?) In late 2nd/early 3rd edition 40K, there was another golden age of White Dwarf. A lot of painting and modelling articles, tons of features on random people's armies and conversions, new scenarios. What background story there was had been written directly by the studio for inclusion in White Dwarf. The last few years have been awful, I don't think anyone is arguing that point. I have the feeling that whoever is responsible for the last few years worth of WD is still pulling the strings. The new issue has been retooled more like a mainstream mag, but I'm not seeing massive wholesale improvement yet.

I think what we need to do is give the format time. We saw some flashes of potential over the last year with new units being added to the game via White Dwarf, the Sisters list (love it or hate it, it was in there). If they can expand on those content opportunities while growing this new format, I think it could be good, but only if GW lets the new WD team go somewhere with it. I have hope.

[Sure]

Isn't there supposed to be a free poster? What about the free poster?:(

There was in my copy...it was outside the plastic bag in the back. I gave it to the shop hang in there, though.

As for the magazine - definitely a vast improvement over issues in recent memory. My hope is that they build on this and don't settle down.
YES - there will always be blatant advertising in it, get over it. That's why it costs so much (most magazines are mostly funded by advertisers, not subscribers).
I liked the battle report - even if they still made it up it felt like a game that was actually played. I liked getting a preview of what to expect next month (after reading Storm of Iron I'm a dedicated Iron Warriors fan), and i liked the readable content.
Do I want to see more? You bet, but we can't expect them to go from dog poo to gold in one issue. The fact that they went from dog poo to decent is encouraging and I hope it's merely the first step in a process.

[eldargal]

Well I appropriated my brothers copy last night and read it, and I think it was fantastic. The first WD I've read cover to cover (store info not withstanding) in years. It's not perfect by any means, I really would like more hobby stuff, the scenery showcase was fantastic but a step-by-step guide about how to build something like the refinery from GW terrain kits would be brilliant.
The battle report was nice, I enjoyed the little stpe by step photos they had.

I really loved the 'This month in the Design Studio' article as well, more Jes Goodwin concept art! I have to say the model of the Forgefiend is inferior to the concept art (though I still like it), the art has it looking much sleeker and more canine.

I'd give this issue an 8/10, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the new product ads at the start were better, nicer photos and it had a bit of background about each model and its battlefield role which made it less of a blatant advertisement.

[Herzlos]

I actually quite liked the battle report and the dark eldar / vampire counts discussion, and theres a lot more content than previously. It's just a shame it's so well hidden by the advertising.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I had a go at someone who was slandering GW on the cost of the new WD, people annoy me.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

BREAKING: TDA HAS CONFIRMED ThAT HE WILL BRING A FULL SUIT OF PRIMARCH ARMOUR AND A PAIR OF WORKING CHAINBLADES TO BOLSCON UK. more on the news at 7

Challenge potentially accepted...

[eldargal]

I don't see the advertising bit at all, sorry. I mean as a GW house magazine technically ALL of it is advertising. But this magazine had a lot of good articles which were a lot more than just shiny pictures of new products. The Dark Elf/Vampire Counts article was nice too.

I actually quite liked the battle report and the dark eldar / vampire counts discussion, and theres a lot more content than previously. It's just a shame it's so well hidden by the advertising.

I forgot: The Standard Bearer article was nice, givin the reasoning behind limitations and why they are trying to avoid them.
Jeremy Vetocks article about 'the perfect game' with matching terrain and rules was really good, very much encapsulating the attitude my brothers and I take to the game.
The Horus Heresy origins article was fantastic also, giving the evolution of the whole thing and how it has rather naturally led to FW producing this series of books.
Oh, and the army showcase was nice too, skaven aren't my favourite army but it was lovely seeing anotehr non-studio army photographed so nicely.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I flipped when I saw the Skaven army... 20 MAN UNITS?!?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WALRUS!?!?

I liked all the Heresy articles too, it was good to get a rough idea of colour schemes. I'm currently gauging how to paint Angron, I want more colour on him than the stock model.

[Psychosplodge]

Ok, a brief overview based on my skim read this morning. I'm focusing on the content as I couldn't care less about the layout and paper material used in a magazine, providing it is legible and doesn't fall to pieces in my hands. Other opinions are of course available.

The Old stuff - All the regular and semi-regular stuff is in there, with a bit of re-branding and re-vamping. New releases (with expanded coverage of FW, BL and licensed products) battle report, how to paint, Standard Bearer (now the JJ column), Hall of Fame, listings and pictures of pretty models/armies. Oh and the wonderful Blanchistu

New Stuff - some interesting bits here, so I'll go into them in a bit more detail.

The Rivals - two veterans get put head to head in a tactical debate on two different armies they have constructed. I like this, it is bit basic in some parts, but there is enough there to keep both vets and noobs interested. Assuming they rotate the armies and systems, this could be a good feature which gives folks an insight into enemy armies as well as a new take on the ones they play.

The Horus Heresy - apart from the feature on the sculpting of Angron (which is great), glorified advertising, nothing more.

Kit Bash - The name says it all, pictures and brief descriptions of kit bashed models. Perfectly serviceable

Battle Ground - I was almost tempted to put this in the old stuff, as it's basically a pumped up look at some of the big battle boards they make. A bit lazy really, the limited and sporadic insights into how it's made will be of use to only the beginner terrain maker.

Jeremy Vetock column. Does what it says on the tin. If you like Standard Bearer (which I do) you will like this.

This Month In... First off a moan. There is some awesome stuff in here, so why in the name of God is it stuck at the back of the magazine, after the listing section!? I'm sure a number of people will miss it because they hit the listings, assume that is the end of the mag and stop reading. The good stuff however is that it gives an insight into what the different sections of GW have been doing this month - WD, FW, BL and the Design Studio. The WD stuff is ok if you want to know how the magazine is made, the BL stuff has columns from a couple of authors which is good, the FW one is just a couple of pieces of artwork and a how to paint which is a bit lame, but the Design Studio is the crowning jewel. We finally have a return to discussing the creation process of the latest release. This week, Phil and Jes discuss Chaos Space Marines!

Overall, I'm cautiously happy with the new direction. There is just about enough good new stuff to justify the £1 price increase, providing they continue giving us extra content to use in games as they have done over the last year or so.

Oh, I almost forgot, happily there is not a single page of LotR (apart from a Hobbit teaser picture of Sir Ian)!

I generally think this is a fair review, I disagree that the price rise is worth it, or that we're even to a level of quality that justified the previous price yet. It's a step in the right direction.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

A £2 increase over 15 years ISN'T BAD. :p

[Psychosplodge]

You say that but actual content has been non-existent for much of it, so really we should expect a return of proper content before a price rise.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

You'd hate gaming magazines then. :p

[eldargal]

I disagree with Wildye on a few points. I thought the Horus Heresy article was a nice look at where it all began an how it has evolved and the battleground tips were hardly aimed at real beginniner modellers, they were using plastic and silicon sealant to make gushing water effect isn't exactly a beginners thing.

Oh and Blachitsu was great, as usual.

I think it was worth the price rise. If they keep this up for a few months I think I will get my own subscription.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

My subscription is dirt cheap because I'm on direct debit! SUCCESS.

I have unlimited access to silicone sealant. :p

[DrLove42]

They've introduced the new subscription model into our store now. 44 pounds for 12 redeemable tickets for WD.

So thats 33% off all things AND i don't have to waste it on a Fantays heavy issue if i don't want. Result

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

What's the new subscriber model?

[Psychosplodge]

You'd hate gaming magazines then. :p

gaming magazines are pointless, all their content is generally available more in-depth earlier on-line somewhere...

[DrLove42]

What's the new subscriber model?

My Manager doesn't know what theyre doing with it. If they keep one it'll be a small cost on top of subscription likely

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

That wasn't my question...

[eldargal]

12 issues for the price of 8 isn't it? For in store subscriptions.

I have to admit I do wonder what is going on with the WD subscriber figure, surely they wouldn't discontinue it.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I heard that it's available to everyone now?

[Herzlos]

I don't see the advertising bit at all, sorry. I mean as a GW house magazine technically ALL of it is advertising. But this magazine had a lot of good articles which were a lot more than just shiny pictures of new products. The Dark Elf/Vampire Counts article was nice too.

I think it's partially because by the time I'd flicked through to the start of the actual content (about page 60, there are a lot of pages taken up on new stuff) I'd partially zoned out, and if the good stuff at the back is after the store listings, then I think the same would happen there. So I suspect if I were to flick through a new issue in a store when deciding to buy it I'd probably miss most of the stuff worth buying.



I forgot: The Standard Bearer article was nice, givin the reasoning behind limitations and why they are trying to avoid them.

It seemed totally devoid of actual content to me; highlighted by the gaping white-space at the bottom of the 2nd page. It could probably have been condensed into a single page without losing anything.



Jeremy Vetocks article about 'the perfect game' with matching terrain and rules was really good, very much encapsulating the attitude my brothers and I take to the game.
The Horus Heresy origins article was fantastic also, giving the evolution of the whole thing and how it has rather naturally led to FW producing this series of books.
Oh, and the army showcase was nice too, skaven aren't my favourite army but it was lovely seeing anotehr non-studio army photographed so nicely.

I haven't got to the perfect game part yet, but the HH bit and the army showcase was good, even if it was short on detail and a bit repetitive (the only thing I'd got from it was 2 mentions of adding height to make units more intimidating), I don't think there was even a real breakdown of what was in the army and why. The pictures were good and the figures were great, but I have to admit to knowing nothing about Skaven so I don't know what any of it actually is.

[Wildeybeast]

I generally think this is a fair review, I disagree that the price rise is worth it, or that we're even to a level of quality that justified the previous price yet. It's a step in the right direction.

I did say just about, and with the proviso of future improvements. I could be easily tempted to review that decision if some things do not improve.


I disagree with Wildye on a few points. I thought the Horus Heresy article was a nice look at where it all began an how it has evolved and the battleground tips were hardly aimed at real beginniner modellers, they were using plastic and silicon sealant to make gushing water effect isn't exactly a beginners thing.

Oh and Blachitsu was great, as usual.

I think it was worth the price rise. If they keep this up for a few months I think I will get my own subscription.

If you are completely new to the hobby, or have somehow managed to be a regular gamer who has no idea what the HH is or that BL have been producing books for the last few years, then I guess the HH stuff was ok. It felt far too much like last months 'coverage' of DV to me. A quick and cheap review with a 'oh by the way did you know we sell all these books about it?' article.

And perhaps I wasn't clear about beginner modellers - I meant beginner terrain makers (e.g. people who have gone beyond kit bashing the out the box terrain). I would expect such people to at least be aware of such things. And as a guide to making such stuff yourself, it is too brief to be helpful beyond giving you a few ideas as to where to start.

[Psychosplodge]

I did say just about, and with the proviso of future improvements. I could be easily tempted to review that decision if some things do not improve.

Oh I know, I'm just not that generous :)

[Wildeybeast]

It only gets that from me because I'm not actually paying the price increase. :D

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Because you're lame.

[eldargal]

I disagree, it started with the very fist mention of the HH as a throaway line in a 1988 Chapter Approved, now unless you had a group full of quite knowledgeable veteran how many peopole really would have known that, or how it evolved through the Epic scale games? A good half of my games club didn't know and that is with a dozen of us veterans being well aware of it. I thought the article gave a good overview of the evolution of the HH and not just for newbies. Certainly it was jsut a quick overview but it wasn't bad for that.

If you are completely new to the hobby, or have somehow managed to be a regular gamer who has no idea what the HH is or that BL have been producing books for the last few years, then I guess the HH stuff was ok. It felt far too much like last months 'coverage' of DV to me. A quick and cheap review with a 'oh by the way did you know we sell all these books about it?' article.

And perhaps I wasn't clear about beginner modellers - I meant beginner terrain makers (e.g. people who have gone beyond kit bashing the out the box terrain). I would expect such people to at least be aware of such things. And as a guide to making such stuff yourself, it is too brief to be helpful beyond giving you a few ideas as to where to start.

[Herzlos]

I've finished reading it now and think there must be about 3-4x as much reading as previously in it, which transforms it from being a total waste of time.
Though I can't help feeling there's a huge amount of wasted space it it (white-space and overly length ads with no actual detail) which led me onto the improved cover/paper quality (though I can't say I noticed); there's nothing "collectible" in the issue, and nothing I'm ever going to refer back to, so now I'm done it'll be getting recycled, so what's the point in the higher quality paper? Is it just justification for the price hike?

[Deadlift]

12 issues for the price of 8 isn't it? For in store subscriptions.

I have to admit I do wonder what is going on with the WD subscriber figure, surely they wouldn't discontinue it.

It's the same for the iPad subscription. I think it's brilliant.

[Wildeybeast]

Because you're AWESOME, not to mention being the coolest, sexiest and all round bestest of all the Horsemen of Derailment, in fact of the whole of BoLS, if not the world.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

My statement remains completely true!