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I wouldn't call it negativity. Especially since it looks like you're right. Watching the latest SoW report this season is going to produce very one-sided games. In the post-game discussion they talk about just how ridiculous the MW output was and that unless you're playing an army with STRONG magic defence there's no answer for it. Of course, there are armies who will just shrug it off like Null Myriad OBR (though only effective versus targetted spells). This might be an issue with the army itself (won't spoil which) but with the new GHB toys it gets so much worse. The biggest issue with the new GHB is how flat out boosts magic dominant armies and the only drawback is more damaging miscasts. Very little nuance or interesting counter-play and it really adds to the lethality of the game. If SoB used to be a DPS check, then in this GHB its added in a magic/MW tanking check. Adding, as mentioned, to the issue of heavy-handed RPS in AoS. That said, hopefully life finds a way.

It may not be my faction of choice but I'm marking down the CoS reveal as a win. That Manticore model is magnificent.

FEC hero got to be with 3" of an enemy unit and friendly unit (at the end a charge) and the opponent has to wilfully choose the option you want to fit an already situational ability... And then you roll against their bravery (if that option is chosen). That's a lot of jank and its also a 6W unit with a 5+ save who has to be in the thick of things. Yeah, that's a no from me. Shame though since it is a really cool model. Could have some play with summoning but that's a big maybe.

They released essentially the same tome twice. Added a hero no one asked for. Made the army more expensive to collect while adding nothing of note. To get excited over any potential the faction has is going to need a lot more than "they might get an update in 2-5 years" or "AoS is in a good spot right now." This might be coming off as negative but I'm just so done with hoping for things I know 100% won't happen. As a concept I really like the FS. Mercs going mad for their god creates opportunities for stories which aren't just good versus evil but several shades of grey. More creative units and naming scheme would help too. I mean, they literally got a volcanic underworld of beasts and creatures to pull from. Not to mention the various aspects of warriors and cool looking armour/weapon designs they could have come up with... But then again, that's just unrealised potential, so it is just ash in the wind until something happens.

This. Everyone else can go die in a steam engine! 😆

By contrast this contraption actually looks like it could work (if a bit dangerous!) and flying fish is what I'd put in the "because magic" category. The point is, the mounted on an ogre bucket just doesn't have that "because magic" vibe some of the crazier stuff AoS has. LRL got that Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon things going on which also supported with "because magic" with a dash of "because elves." It isn't that big of a deal and I do not have to like every mini. It just feels out of place. Maybe it'll start making more sense and more of the line is released.

I think why I struggle with the suspension of disbelief is because there's isn't anything fantastical about this model. It is a dude in a basket strapped to an ogre's back. Unless the new CoS has created a niche for using the arcane to create magical sniper buckets, ofc. 😆 What I'm saying is, a dude in a bucket doesn't quite stack up to the weirdness of the mortal realms or the fantastical magical things which many call "AoSifying" traits (as in what makes it different from WHFB or other fantasy settings). To me it just looks like something which breaks its own setting's rules (for the lack of a better term).

If ever were to build one it would be without the guy on top. Simply to represent he's flung somewhere to the other side of the board. 😆 I call this the anti-whack meta.

Or a really big explosion, yes yes!

"...The good point is that it makes all the summer our space marines." 😆

Honest Wargamer on YT frequently breaks down and looks at various lists performing well in tournaments.

Why do three of them look like they just got rudely awakened from a 3 day binge? Complete with the "I-just-got-out-of-bed"-hair, pale as heck, and baggy eyes. Both the guy with the pistols and Mr Head of Staff seem to be trying to figure out where they are and how they got there. 😆 Joking aside, I realise it is 'Eavy Metal's way of painting to make everything pop (same with the baboons) and very few people will actually paint them like that. Also, they remind me of Dragon Age is the best ways.

Nexon? Oof. Not exactly inspiring confidence. They could surprise us but I'm expecting mobile-like P2W hub based multiplayer gatcha game. I'm hope I am wrong but this company (Nexon) are known for their egregious P2W systems and, more worryingly, often go after known franchises and games and exploit their loyalty for their own gain. They usually start out slow (so their reviews won't tank) and then ramp up the P2W nonsense to 11.

What if that's why they're appearing just now... They already got one or two duardin gods/shards in their pocket. That would be enough to terrify/enrage the FS into action and get the rest of the duardin on the warpath, for sure.

Chorfs is a massive thorn in any Duardin's side. Their very existence an insult, reminder of what they lost and what they forsook. If they showed up on the doorstep of FS hoping to dominate a god the FS are desperately trying to reawaken I imagine the slayers might just raise and objection or fourteen. Doesn't matter how detached from the old world/ways FS/KO claim to be, chorfs will bring all that back to the fore. There might be some similarities in themes (as in element) but if you take a closer look there's there's a clear nature versus industry, martial freedom versus brutal might makes right. I see a pretty compelling redemption arc as FS/KO atone for their more shameful deeds and the rest of the Duardin are united around a common cause to reclaim the rekindling old traditions, reconnected with their ancestors, and maybe one day find a way back to, for example, Vayala the rest of the gang. It wholly depends on what GW does with CoS though... And as you no doubt can see I have some big hopes for both Duardin and Chorfs. 😇

10th is looking really nice too. I was kind of worried about the reset but most, if not all, of the factions so far looks like they've retained a lot of flavour. My favourite so far has to be Daemons with The Shadow of Chaos as an opposite to the 'nids Shadow of The Warp. Love how it both reflects the sheer madness of a daemonic incursion and also its sustaining energies as you try to spread its influence over the board. For me 40k and AoS is two sides of the same coin. Striking similarities yet different in key places. Good to alternate between (as well as other games of the tabletop variety).

While I do not think AoS due for a reset like 40k when it does land I hope; 1. Remove every single dice roll for heroic/monster actions. Just make them interesting and only ONE can be used per turn because if everyone's a bloody hero all the time, what's so heroic about these actions? Rename them to Routine Actions instead. Also, saves time as you don't have to play checklist-hammer. Naturally, some units who pointlessly had their abilities turned into heroic actions would have that change reverted back to a warscroll ability. 2. Split mortal wounds into Arcane Wounds and Mortal Wounds. Arcane Wounds stay the same as Mortal Wounds and Mortal Wounds become something else (such as modifier to save). One extra rule but it would be a... 3: USRs, which means they'll be super easy to remember. As a bonus, another tool for the designers to make things which doesn't have to be all or nothing. Ideally though, MWs on "normal weapons" should be avoided as much as possible and be reflected in the weapon's profile. 4. Simplify degrading profiles to "If X unit has Y wounds or less" apply effect Z. Overall, I want to kill as much useless dice-rolling and time-wasting actions who provide very little impact on the game as possible. There are already armies with hero/magic phases which drags on and on, we do not need to add even more layers to that.

Aye, some of the old designs of Slaanesh mortals (WHFB) share a very striking resemblance to Dark Elves/HoS. Makes sense too since Dark Elves (or the Druchii) were a direct result of Morathi opening up the door for Slaanesh.

Perhaps they're struggling to find a niche for them outside of CoS/DoK? The latter, especially, already has a lot of the sneaky assassin + death by a thousand cuts of Dark Elves. CoS has the rest with their standing military and monsters. Even the shadow elves for the side games gives off immediate DoK vibes as there isn't much to visually differentiate them. However, if CoS takes a decided focus on the human elements of CoS then another door would open up. That said, I think we're eventually will see a new elf faction with Malerion in the centre. Hopefully after Chorfs though. 😄

I want free digitally available rules not a huge expensive book which will need 5 billions pages of FAQs/Erratas + lore and art in battletomes. I'd love world building and themes explored in a similar veins to Liber Chaotica. I really REALLY don't want to return to anything even remotely close to AoS 1. Grand Alliances are bound to create watered down and flavourless or horribly imbalanced rules. Currently the AoS team is doing a decent job at balancing 3rd. Just a shame they went so hard on MW spam. Looking at 40k I do not think we're at a place where we need a reset (give it an edition or two). They clearly want to add in a few new factions before that. That said, GW can be quite fickle at times. 😄

Aye, looking forward to 5th ed AoS too. 😆

I am so conflicted. On the one hand I love seeing more FEC but on the other hand the only stand-out models are the leader-like character with the axe (the bone body mod armour is awesome) and the stupid surprised looking baboons. The rest are barely distinguishable from existing ghouls. Mixed bag but at least we actually got something in the bag... not to mention actually getting something like a bag. 😄

I would not say no to any of that but looking at other factions (like FS and KO) there's been lots of stuff they could have done but didn't. GW do not give that much attention to smaller factions unless there's some cause or will in the company to do a sudden refresh. Had there been one (or the other) I do not GW would have put them in Legends. That's why I'd be perfectly happy with updated models and multi-kits. Given the nature of the various daemonic Thomas the tank engines (and more) there's a lot of wiggle-room to make rules which better reflect each game (both as a game and in the lore). In other words, I hope the combined popularity of TOW/AoS Chorfs is enough to solidify them as a mainstay faction.

To Chorf's benefit they're pretty far out there as WHFB standards go already. One of the trailers featured a huge hulking mecha steam powered Pacific Rim T-rex. If we get anything remotely like that, I'm going to be a really happy hat.

*huffs Hashut flavoured hopium* edit: realised just below there's a place called 'Hopetide' 😆