Wobbly

I actually rather keep on being sceptical and keep an open mind until I actually get access to information (leaks or official) as the game development goes on. I never have been keen on hyping stuff up on small teased stuff and build air castles out of it. If you go back and read what I wrote you´ll see that I didn't say that square bases wont be used. I only said that they where used in the announce promotion and then asked questions on how they´ll be used in the game. There´s quite a bit of possible ways that GW can go with how they utilize bases in a game that lies years ahead. But as you said whatever floats your boat I guess.

So...? How does it tell us how square bases will be used? Will all miniatures use them? Will they instead be square trays with inserts for round bases? Does only infantry blocks use them? Where it only used as that was a very visual and remembered difference from AOS? The answer to all that is that we don´t really know. It was only used in the promotion video for the announcement of a game that is years and years away. It can be a hint of things to come (bases) to be used but also as a tool for nostalgia and a pure marketing strategy. Until we actually get more information I´d say we don´t actually know anything besides the game is supposed to be based in the Old World and that´s it!

With a bit of thinking and fun assumptions this is how I would introduce a game based in the Old World. I would avoid building directly on WHFB as there are so many potential pitfalls dotted around it. Expectations, insane hype, "you're not doing it as I want it" and so such. Trying to live up to nostalgia is often an impossible task. Just look at the overall reaction from this very much vague announcement that had no actual information in it. It has been everything from "something new! Yay!", to "Yes! Old WHFB has risen from the dead!" and even "This will ruin what I prefer". Instead I would create a "new" game system, that would take inspiration from both WHFB and AOS, while keeping it as distinct from AOS as possible. Take the things people in general enjoyed about the Old World and spin up something fresh out of it with todays eyes. Not to mention they are hinting that it's a Forge World system so not a "main" game, rather a Specialist one. Say make it more finicky, higher skill level and complex overall. The use of formations, flanking and facing would most likely be a good start for that. Then I would not release an overall rulebook that contained rules for every old faction from WHFB, I would rather do as with Necromunda and release rule books for each (faction) release wave. Also to increase the changes of new players starting, either from AOS or fresh, I would reduce the size of the optimal game size. The players with bigger existing armies that are compatible would be able to scale up the games/rules if they so desired. On top of that I wouldn't mass release all the old sculpts at all, instead I would let new sculpts and (old fan favourite) factions get released more slowly as the game evolves. This to encourage the sale of new miniature models over already bought ones from years ago, not to mention keep them in same scale as AOS to have some cross-pollination between the game systems. Of course it would only be beneficial to allow old models be used but at the same time keep them sub-optimal in a creative way because revenue is king. GW is a company that sells miniatures after all! Say launch the game with a box-set with 2 factions, something something human vs something something chaos. Slowly expand those to ranges for a time period and then move on to another box-set with 2 other factions, dwarves/elves/orcs/skaven... Lastly I would keep the visual styles of the miniature ranges between this Old World game and AOS distinctly different. Give the high fantasy and weird/over the top things to AOS while keeping it more mundane and low fantasy for the Old World.

...or perhaps they'll get their time to shine in the newly announced Old World game?

From my point of view we only know two things; 1) GW has announced that they have started development of a new game set in the Old World. 2) They stopped supporting WHFB and replaced it with AOS. From a few posters here we can easily gather that it was hard to get new players and a mess rule wise. So from these two points it seems to me pretty logical that this new game set in the Old World won't be WHFB reincarnated. It will rather be it's own beast. Now granted it can (even be very likely) contain rank and file formations with flank attacks and such but if we look at GW:s other newer game launches it will have way more streamlined rules and accessibility to more easily draw in new(er) players. On top of that they very much like to have miniature kits to be usable in different games. Just look at 30k vs 40k, underworlds and Warcry. This could easily reinvigorate certain classic old miniature ranges of AOS, like beastmen, skaven, COS and the like. They also won't want to cannibalize their AOS player base so they most likely are going to differentiate this new game enough from AOS gameplay wise that they cater to different tastes. Why neuter their most successfully fantasy game as they call AOS in their announcement? Not to mention that after GW dropped WHFB the fanbase created their own edition, 9th age I think it's called, and other companies has tried to fill up that market to. How would GW take back the "ownership" of WHFB in the fans minds? Especially now that it has been allowed to live it's own life a few years with the players getting used to and comfortable doing whatever they want. In short it most likely won't be a reincarnation of WHFB, if it's a successor it likely is heavily streamlined and changed enough to stand on it's own legs. Also GW is likely looking into diversifying it's range to increase the potential income rather than neutering AOS.

True but we have no idea on how this reincarnation of the Old World will play out, which scale, gameplay or anything else really. So I would suggest caution in hoping for things and keep your expectations low, while keeping hope for the best.

I hope that they keep this transparency up and continue giving us information as the development progress of this project goes on.

What will this resurrection of the Old World have on the factions in AOS? Wouldn't it be logical to have the classical armies in the Old World and the more out there armies in AOS? If your favourite faction from the Old World isn't in AOS yet the chance of it appearing in it's old form probably went down. It looks more likely that if it appears it has seen further development and tweaking to set it apart from it's history. Anyway more models and ranges means more kitbashing and converting potential so I'm all for it! 😀

True and they are fabulous to boot. 😁

From what I have gathered/read between the lines of the Orruk battletome GW hints at that our AOS orruks share the 40k Orkz physiology. A fungus and animal hybrid of sorts.

A two orruk giant bow setup would be hilarious, but to me that would fall more in line with Bonesplitterz and their mad minds! 😂 I like your thinking though 😁👍

I´m primarily a Destruction fan so anything new related to that would most likely make me happy but I would really love a unit expansion of the orruks, Ironjaws preferably. Here´s just a few quick ideas; a Megaboss on a Gore-Grunta - might be too close to the Maw-Krusha kit... speaking of Maw-Krushas what about juvenile Maw-Krushas with a bunch of Brutes riding on them, having a blast with all the mayhem they and their ride is causing? Keep the trend of maximum brutality and bring a real heavy mob consisting of bosses. Heavier and better armoured then the "normal" Brute kit, with more exotic weapons (perhaps inspired from gladiatorial battles?). or stray from the brutal (and cunning) thing that Ironjawz currently sport for a focus on cunning for a few kits? Let´s say instead of front-line assault troops they have now to more skirmish and ranged options? A big orruk with a massive bow and arrows the size of short spears would be quite epic, not to mention taking the 40k kommandos and make an orruk version of them. I would also like an updated version of the Ardboys but that feels quite unlikely to happen. In short give me more Destruction kits! A destruction faction that´s completely out of the blue, that no one expects would also be welcome. Elementals, old/new race that wants to destroy the world so that they can reshape it in their own vision or just a race that is not one of the traditional races associated with Destruction (Gitz, Orruks and Ogors).

Well, its official then that I have found a faction outside of Destruction that I actually fancy! 😁 That´s going to be an expensive month once these kits arrive. At least I´ll get a little break from my Orruks to freshen up the palette.

My own spending habits has also changed after the price increase, even though I´m not the biggest spender. Most likely as I collect and often convert rather than am here for the game part of the hobby. Before it was quite common that I "accidentally" bought a cool kit that I hadn't planned for when the spending urge got to me. But now those extra kits are tossed to the side even before I start to browse and I have started to cull more ruthlessly even in the kits I have plans for. Now with this said I tend to spend less money on GW but my hobby expenses hasn't dropped. I rather are spending the difference on other companies tied to this hobby instead. That goes for mainly paints, brushes and accessories but miniatures can also be included in this if I find something that catches my fancy. I don´t think that was what GW intended but once a part of their customer base gets accustomed to buy their hobby supplies from other sources it can´t be good for their bottom line and getting those customers back can´t be easy.

To me the more interesting question is rather which traits, styles, lore and visuals people want to keep from these factions if GW revisited them? What´s the things that actually draws you to a faction in question? For visuals it might be the bone constructs of the Tomb Kings that stands out and would be fantastic to see in a new way. From Brettonians the playstyle with heavy cavalry and cheap fodder troops could be fun to see re-used. Seeing a "death" faction break the mold and be rebels within the death Grand Alliance could be interesting. Just saying you want faction X back doesn´t actually say that much beside that you liked that faction as it was before getting turned to dust. Not to mention I doubt GW would just copy paste such a faction. Better then to highlight what aspect you want from that faction and keep sending that information to them. This might just be me that´s an optimist but it feels more likely that GW would re-use aspects of old factions, if they get bombarded with it rather then just telling them you want faction X back to play with.