Wednesday, June 20, 2012

New Edition Blues

With the dawn of 6th Edition in mere days, the rumors abound. With the rumors, however, come all the grizzled old veterans, the competitive gamers, and the beer and pretzel folks with their bevy of opinions on what should and shouldn't be done with this game.

Come on people, the new rulebook isn't even out yet!

I'm seeing three major divisions of opinion when it comes to the new edition. Let's have a little fun, and break them down.


The Couch Game Designer

I've heard everything from 6th edition will be the reincarnation of everything 2nd edition was meant to be, to 6th edition will be too much like 2nd, and the game will suffer greatly for it. The only thing these two groups can agree on, is that it looks like 6th edition is bringing back elements of gameplay that are reminiscent of...wait for it...2nd edition. No matter the argument, this is like watching my family at a baseball game. Everyone has their opinion on how the Manager should manage his team...but none of them are team managers. Yes, we are gamers, and yes, we know what we like. However, how many of us have actually written games for a living? For 30 years? Show of hands now folks. Go on, don't be shy.

Right. How about we realize that this will be the 6th edition of a successful game,and it's still going strong. Maybe we need to give the game a chance before we judge?


You Drank the KoolAid-Aid, Didn't You?

These are the folks that have a secret shrine to Games Workshop in their basements, complete with a bronze bust of Jervis. The game developers can do no wrong when it comes to this person, and the rules border on divine prophecy.

Okay, so maybe not divine prophecy, but my point is made. While I may have made the point above to give the game a chance before judging, and that the vast majority of us aren't game developers, I do not think we should give up common sense and logic, either. The new edition will be what it will be, but one thing it will not be is perfect. Accept that, and the switch to a new edition will be easier.


6th Edition? I Still Play 3rd!

These are the folks who refuse to switch editions because their favorite rules, armies or whatever were not carried into the next edition. You people know who you are. You're the ones who still dig out the VDR rules, and the old Genestealer Limos.

Yes! those.

Look, I started with GW back in 2nd edition. I remember all the "Good Old Days" that we like to tell stories about around the gaming tables. You know what? There are reasons we left those days in the past. No, I don't believe the next version of the game will be perfect, any more than I didn't believe the previous 5 editions were. They all have their issues. I do, however, realize that any new players have no idea what we're talking about when we say the words "Rhino Rush". It's in the past, and needs to stay there.

Above and beyond all the fun I've poked at different opinions of the coming new rules edition, your toy soldiers are your toy soldiers. Play with them as you will, and your hobby will be fulfilling.

...but at least try the new edition before you declare it either the second coming, or the fall of man, mmmkay?

- Tim



21 comments:

  1. But my Genestealer limos were cool..... not so much for Ricks Deodorant though....;) Good points Tim!!

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    1. Glad you liked the article, Tommy :) And while the limos were cool in a campy-pimp style, the deodorant I have to agree with you on.. just... odd.

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  2. I don't care what edition I play, I just want my Dark Angels to have a decent codex.

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    1. because you have said it, now you get a White Dwarf Codex ;)

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  3. Great points. I agree, one hundred percent. I wrote an article on frontline gaming about coping with the changes of 6th ed :D. Just a light hearted set of skills. Im looking forward to 6th and we will adapt!

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    1. This is me, moving over to Frontline Gaming to check it out :) I share your sentiment with looking forward to 6th as well :)

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  4. From the looks of things GW is trying to make the game more bloody, violent and fast paced. I hope it works. I didn't play at lot of 5th and spent most of my time on the hobby side. I'd like to use 6th as a catalyst for my return to the gaming side of 40k. I'm looking forward to updating my Dark Angels too.

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    1. YES. Exactly. It would be nice to have people think more tactically about placement, deployment and unit order...bloody and faced-paced I'm all for. Welcome (soon at least) back to 40K :)

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  5. I only came back in 5th and didn't even read any rumors or codex bo**ox before i started i just saw ork's and went the're for me. Even though you cant kill tanks and t-shirt saves suck its still fun when a truck Kareen's right over the board and splats everyone around it. I wont play if its getting competitive i play for fun only and have loved reading every juicy rumor about whats coming up in 6th purely because it make no difference i will buy it and enjoy it.

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    1. Ahh the beer-and-pretzels player :) Bless you. No seriously. Your outlook on the game in general, not just the new edition, is a welcome one.

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    2. Beer and Pretzels till the end!!!

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  6. I'm cautiously optimistic about 6th edition. It sounds like we're getting a bit more "crunch" in the rules, which I'm all for - 5th seemed to swing a little TOO far to the "streamlined for speed" end of the spectrum in my opinion. I'm all for some major changes to shake things up and breathe some new life into the game for me. Can't wait!

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    1. LOL, my friend, you went from 'cautiously optimistic' to 'Can't Wait!' in the span of 3-4 sentences ;) I shouldn't say much, considering that's pretty much my own view of this so far.

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  7. I've only been playing 40k since 07, so I missed out on the gameplay of that era, but I had dozens of white dwarfs and GW catalogs from the 90's, I even played Mordheim as a kid (because it was less expensive). Sadly all my minis from that time seem to have disappeared.

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    1. Oh...well that sucks. I feel your pain though as while I went back to 2nd ed with 40k, I miss my Necromunda gangs the most of all the figures I've lost since then.

      Including my 4000 points of orks.

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  8. Good points all! (And YEAH for the stealer cult limos!) I'm in the camp of pessimistic guys still clutching at the 5th edition rules and growling for others to back away. I came back after almost 20 years to the 5th and, while they certainly aren't perfect, i'm afraid of seeing them screwed up, just like i'm afraid of seeing chaos screwed up. but by this point i've stopped reading any rumors cuz they just have no merit, all they do is tease and incite riots. i'll wait and see how things turn out and then decide to join society at large or hide in a cave playing by myself.

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    1. You know, for as much crap as I like to give those cult limos, I really did like the concept behind the 'stealer cult as a force. ALOT of personality to it, and I would probably play one today if it was legal to.

      No cave for you though. You stay out in the blistering sun with the rest of us and like it ;)

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  9. I've always been in the camp of "sounds interesting, I'll wait until I see it" sort of approach.

    I don't know why people fear change so much. Will 6th be different from 5th? Yes. A little change-up is a good way to keep things interesting!

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    1. And so says the voice of reason within the sea of chaos that will exist, and get more turbulent, until the 30th. A very even-keeled response and one I respect :)

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  10. I've only been playing for about 9 months now so this whole change over from 5th to 6th has been a fascinating process.
    1. 5th sucks GW needs to fix it.
    2. 6th Will Fix the world and comes with a rainbow unicorn.
    3. 6th will eat babies - sell your armies now!
    4. OMG I love/hate these new rules
    5. I wish 6th were more like 6th.

    Maybe this is a part of the hobby, but it does make for fun browsing!

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    1. HAHAHA!!! This is awesome. Can I use your quote here for a signature when I post to boards? priceless, and I agree with it completely!

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