Jump to content
  • entries
    8
  • comments
    19
  • views
    1,279

AoS Needs Fluff Support


SuperHappyTime

688 views

I believe that AoS is a good miniatures game but will continue to blast it's creator (GW) for a poor handling of the game.

This time, I'm focusing on fluff instead of rules, or mainly where the lack of fluff.

When you searched online about the old factions, you could usually get a quick flavor blurb about why someone might want to play Empire, or Dwarfs, or High/Dark Elves, or Warriors of Chaos, or Skaven, or Orcs and Goblins. This seems to be a missing part and parcel for Age of Sigmar. While we as a community aren't doing a good job of explaining it, there isn't anything free from GW explaining it either.

GW's homepage used to not be just an online storefront, they provided context too: https://web.archive.org/web/19990423184209/http://www.games-workshop.com/games/warhammer/armies.html

Just a quick look at something like the Dark Elves:

Quote

After a bitter civil war with their brethren, the Dark Elves were banished from the island homeland of the elves. Now residing in the bleak Land of Chill, the Dark Elves have totally embraced the path of foul practices and dark magic. Mobile and well armed, Dark Elf armies rampage and destroy across the Old World, retiring with loot and prisoners to their forbidding lands. No troop sums up how degenerate and bloodthirsty the Dark Elves have become like the Witch Elves - a frenzied warrior sisterhood that lives only to charge into combat, and bathe in the blood of the slain.

I get a quick feel for their past, that they were once in a civil war with their brothers (who on the same page I can find out are the High Elves, and which builds in a match-up I may wish to fight. I learn why they fight (twisted opinion and an embrace of evil, plus loot and prisoners), and in reading the page, and I learn how they would fight (Warriors may use repeater crossbows to mow down ranks of enemy).

Comparing what we had before for the old armies that haven't been updated is a sad state of affairs. Just look at the Order Serpentis, I get the following flavor bits:

Quote

Dreadlords are master strategists yet selfish individuals, their arrogance matched only by their martial prowess. Some Dreadlords ride to war on Dragons, creatures of vast power who, when they are roused from their slumber, are capable of slaughtering entire armies with wickedly sharp claws, horns and fangs.

Quote

Drakespawn Knights are some of the most fearsome of the Order Serpentis' dreaded warriors. The skill of the knights and viciousness of their mounts set them above the cavalry of lesser races. Though few in number, the ferocity of the Drakespawn Knights is such a decisive weapon that they can win a hard-fought battle with a single devastating charge.

Quote

The Order Serpentis are famed for their use of fast moving units, and of these their chariots are one of the most destructive in battle. Drakespawn Chariots thunder across the battlefield, drawn by ferocious Cold One beasts, driving fear deep into the hearts of their enemies.

Quote

The Order Serpentis make great use of monsters within their armies. The War Hydra is notoriously difficult to slay, as each time a foe chops off one of its many fire breathing heads another swiftly grows back in its place.

So from this, what's the Order Serpentis' motives? Why are they fighting? Do they have a personal goal in the realms? Are they looking to have everybody fight for their cause, do they actually like snakes or were they just sorted by an old hat into Slytherin? We can't even rely on the old fluff, as most of it has been eliminated from the minds of everyone but the few gods. The weirdest part is that GW already has a good collection of short faction explanations in the Grand Alliance Books, but wants to use them as some kind of purchasable good instead of an advertisement.

The importance should really be on GW, as getting us into buying should be first and foremost on their agenda. But maybe we as good shepherds of the game need to be providing these details online ourselves.

Have a Super Happy Time!

  • Like 1

5 Comments


Recommended Comments

Imo the fluff is very good for 1 year since release.

Fantasy had 30 to develop. 

Also, fantasy played safe by the book.

Aos is high fantasy, with chained dragons as suns and stuff.

 

Edited by Sadysaneto
Link to comment

I can see where you are coming from.  But I think the evolving fluff is a key part of this game.  I mean a year ago, nobody had any idea who any of these armies were.  Now, for the ones that have appeared in the books (campaign or novels), and the ones that have gotten Battletomes, we have a ton of awesome information.  I personally think it's kind of cool to have the realms opened up to us a little at a time. Also, I'm not entirely sure if they care if we buy the ranges that haven't been updated.  I'm guessing those lines have made their set up costs back, and AoS is selling better than WHFB, so their good on that count.  See link below for more on this...  Assuming the source is any good.  Also, the last thing they want is more people reading the fluff for units that the crunch isn't settled on.  I mean, they really don't need anyone else rage quitting this game.  So less fluff - less interest in the armies - less people upset when they find out their army doesn't really work together the way they thought.

-- http://natfka.blogspot.com/2016/08/how-is-age-of-sigmar-doing.html

And of course the simplest, and most likely truest answer IMO, is that they don't actually have enough of the fluff settled for those factions to actually tell you much more about them.  Most likely those factions are still pretty fluid at this point.  No use telling us things that are probably changing fairly regularly.

That all said, I'm starving for more fluff, especially about the various undead factions, so I don't fault you for being upset.

Link to comment

I agree with Sadysaneto... Aos is in the early stage, is new and fresh and is a far cry from the Old world that we all loved. However,  the old warhammer was very 'forgotten realms' with a sizeable dollop of Tolkein. You are showing extracts of the Grand Alliance books... have you read the battletomes? Some very original and characterful fluff there. Wait for the 'Shadow Aelves... If the models in the Silver Tower are any indication then we are all in for a treat :) 

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Think it is to hard to judge at this time on the evolving fluff of AoS especially against the many years that fantasy had I mean you look at the early years of warhammer fantasy battle and it didn't have much in the way of fluff and for me personally the flesh eater courts battle tomb has the best fluff and reimagining of an army I have ever read so who knows where we will be in another years time 

Link to comment

There is more information in the Grand Alliance books on each mini faction. Not a huge amount, but they do put the faction into a place in the world.

However, it is the kind've fluff that should be on each sub-factions landing page for each sub-faction on the website. The problem is, the current website is really just a webstore and everything is just filters on what products the user should see. So while you can select Order Serpentis on the store, you could also click Order Draconis as well and then what info should it be showing.

 

Personally I think GW should invest in an actual 'Age of Sigmar' website in a similar fashion to what they're doing with some of their boxed games. This website can give a brief history up until now, details on the goals and agendas of ALL of factions in the game, and of course, links to where to buy the models from the online store.

Link to comment
Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...