Another week, another codex, Games Workshop hasn't stop their freight train of releases. This week had the Grey Knights landing with minimal GW support, but with a lot of player wrangling. Since the Tyranid release it has become clear GW has a new design philosophy in place for their game.
The main refrain heard from the negative nellies is the word "bland". It was the Grey Knight release which sent these complainers over the edge.
Now, before we get to the bland conspiracy, I do want to make it clear, Grey Knight players do have a right to gripe. They've been given a new codex devoid of any new models and have had many units removed, namely Inquisition and Assassins. So, these players end up paying $50 bucks for almost half a book or forced to pay what amounts to $100 bucks for a "complete" codex. All worth being annoyed about. What though you don't get to complain about is blandness.
What really these people mean by blandness, and why the new Grey Knight codex has them really annoyed, is because their broken ass toys are gone. That is right Psychotropic grenades, Rad grenades, Mindstrike Missiles, Servo Skulls, and Psybolt Ammo are all bye, bye. Those who are complaining are the fly by night Grey Knight players who jumped on the bandwagon in late 5th to ride the cheese train to opponent fun removal station. Another way I can put it is you all can SUCK IT.
Please don't come at me with, what about all the non-cheese toys?
Tell me, when did you use a Daemonblade?
How about A Null Rod? Perhaps a Hellrifle?
You never used them!
Oh, and those removed characters? Mordrak? What about Valaria?
You never used them!
Now, Grey Knights are back to being, guess what, Grey Knights! I know amazing! An army about psychic Space Marines, not Psybacks with four Acolyte warriors hiding inside! Not only does it make fluff sense, it also doesn't change the fact Grey Knights are still good.
This leads us back to the blandness issue.
GW is streamlining things, but it makes for a better game. Gone is Wargearhammer, combos are now based on the actual units, not some weird ass piece of trickery that completely negates any fun for the other side. Uniqueness in the game now comes from Formations, Detachments, and Allies. Those elements both fill narrative and competitive needs, where in the past, wargear gimmicks were made to seem like some grand skilled strategy.
So, for me, when I hear the word blandness used to describe the recent codexes, I have to wonder what are you really complaining about? Your tricks are gone, get over it, you weren't clever copying everyone else anyway. You cannot make a certain unit into Troops, so what, you do know everything scores now right? We tried it Matt Ward's way with overpowered crap along with a helping of crappy 6th edition. Now, GW has pulled things back, focused on telling stories and added actual new interesting ways for us to organize our armies.
All in all, Grey Knights ain't that different. Nothing stops any player from taking Inquisitors or Assassins attached to their Grey Knights. Sure, it sucks not getting a Draigo sleigh powered by creepy cherubs, but if you are going to look for sympathy because you cannot use your Psyrifleman Dred anymore, please for everyone else in the room just stop now.
Warning
GW Apologist is rated Fanboy. These articles are dedicated to a blind faith that GW is above criticism and all the choices they make are infallible. If only you embrace Games Workshop will you understand the brilliance of there perfectly marketed products.