My issues with 7th are multifaceted. They dropped a lackluster Tyranid codex, followed by the guard shortly thereafter, THEN seventh ed. While I understand the desire to move an edition, would it not have been better to allow for greater development of the new rule set? Additionally, given the scale of changes to be implemented, would it not have made sense to stall impending codex releases until the new rule set was ready?
To those unfamiliar with the abrupt change between sixth and seventh edition, there exist a group of codices, let’s call them 7.0, and a group released starting with Necrons onward, call them 7.5. The biggest differences between these books are not based on actual units’ stats or characters, but on the availability of “Decurion” style formations with certain bonuses, ala the former apocalypse datasheets. The wolves received one major formation and several others in the Champions of Fenris expansion book, however, the orks’ release was rather hollow, as were the dark eldar and grey knight’s releases. The former of which lost most of the army’s character list and included various changes that made little to know sense from a game play perspective. The loss of haywire on the wyches, as well as the gutting of the HQ section really limited what was one of the most interesting and well designed books released in the past 10 years. I’m not a grey knight’s player and I remember facing the “ward-dex of fifth edition with no fondness, but the scope of changes to the army, and similar changes to the blood angel’s books resulted in a gimping, for lack of better term, two really iconic factions.
While the aftermath of the Chapterhouse lawsuit has resulted in GW moving to decrease units they deem “non-copyrightable” and explaining their terrible army name changes of late, the effect on nearly half of the factions in the game was resounding. The sad part is that the post-necron releases consisted primarily of taking an already good book, Eldar, for example, invalidating the very fluffy Iyanden codex, and releasing the army with a wraith knight as a gargantuan creature. I appreciate some of the rule changes with regard to the aspects and find the formations generally enjoyable to play, I feel like this could have more easily and equitably been done with an FAQ, especially given the fact that in their haste and knee jerk reaction to a not entirely favorable verdict, they released a LOT of rules of “varying” quality.
This isn’t me chastising the company for putting out a new edition, rather I think the edition could have been better thought out. I’m used to GW having errors in writing, grammar and basic spelling in a finished product… despite being a company from a nation that birthed Shakespeare and allegedly are the masters of the English language. Could we at least try not to completely show our disdain for the customers by releasing poorly edited, play-tested and in some cases, unimaginative rules for the sake of drumming up a few more sales? I am not saying that a two year release cycle isn’t a possible thing, but at least make those releases worth the paper they are printed on. The astounding lack of thought that went into the initial 2014 Tyranid codex was mind numbing to say the least. This is not a judgment of the purported “power level” of the codex, but simply the design, the way it reads, the fluff within the book, and the units, if any are being changed or added. You don’t remove the delicious sauce from a pizza and replace it with fermented moose piss and then try to market it as a pizza without upsetting some people. Unless you are Papa John’s. GW, you don’t want to be Papa John’s.
What’s the point of all this? Well, the rumor is that our Vylka Fenryka is getting a redo… the book released in August 2014. A book that by all accounts is really not that bad. Surely, while some “Decurion” formations with benefits would be nice, who is to say that this isn’t already covered well with the hour of the wolf formations in Sanctus Reach? I’d personally prefer a really well thought out book than another rush job for the sake of sales. Mind you, I know some ‘beards out there will say “you are complaining because of price, etc.” based on my diatribe here; yet, nothing is further from the truth. The price of this hobby is not a concern of mine and it’s pretty much my main “fun” hobby. It’s not a matter of I can’t get the new book; it’s more a matter of “I don’t want to buy a substandard product.” Even if you are able to easily afford this game, as consumers, we shouldn’t be so willing to fork over more cash for the company to essentially charge us for correcting their mistakes. While I do not miss the glory days of third and fourth edition when new codices came out as often as we saw Halley’s comet, I’d prefer a release schedule that allows the community to play the lists, read through the books and allow players, both new and old, to gain a good value out of their investment in this crazy little thing of ours.
That’s my two pesos anyway.
Since we’re on the subject of a new book, here’s my wish list:
A return of: mark of the wulfen, wulfen as a unit, thrall servitors, additional wounds on the iron priests, a thunderwolf mount for wolf priests, the ability to take up to 5 special weapons in a power armored wolf guard unit and a choice of tank hunters and/or monster hunters on the unit for a flat upgrade price per model.
I’d like to see formations for units with “claw” in their name, granting rage, rampage, etc. something in lieu of shooting/loss of control.
I’d love to see a wolf scout formation that affects enemy reserves and allows for use of melta bombs or demolition charges.
Fixes on Dreadnaught attack quantity, the availability of helfrost weaponry on landspeeders, predators and possibly on long fangs.
Inclusion of Erik Morkai as a special character, emphasizing a stealth/veteran list that infiltrates but is restricted with regard to armor use.
Allowance of squadroning of vehicles with a benefit for doing so, preferably different from that of the Adeptus Astartes book.
Use of the whirlwind as an AA unit, similar to the forge world hyperios units.
Alfred "El Lobo Cubano"