What is Warhammer’s new Storm of Magic?
April 11, 2011 by beerogre
So today the mighty Games Workshop announce their new expansion for Warhammer Fantasy Battles... Storm of Magic... but what is it?
Here's what their press release says...
Announcing the impending arrival of Storm of Magic, the latest and largest Expansion for Warhammer, the Game of Fantasy Battles. Launched in July 2011, Storm of Magic describes what happens when great eldritch maelstroms roil across the lands. Magic becomes far more powerful and there is a whole range of Cataclysm spells to cast, unleashing untold devastation on the enemy. Arcane Fulcrums burst from the ground, not only acting as loci for the swirling energies that pervade a battle fought amidst the Storm of Magic, but changing the way a Warhammer tabletop looks and interacts with your armies. With such things so crucial to your Storm of Magic games a new range of Warhammer scenery and Wizards will soon be released in time for you to wage cataclysmic battles.
There are new plastic kits of big monsters also announced to coincide with the July release of this expansion.
So that's it guys. Is "Cataclysmic Battle" the new code word for Apocalypse-sized fantasy game. We're betting that it is.
However, the exciting part is all the potential new kits. There are a few teaser pics in the press release...
Is this really what it's going to take to revitalise WHFB?
Will it make you pick up or restart the game?
What would you like to see to make this exciting for YOU?
Let's speculate guys...
it's what we're good at!
BoW Andy
Urgh, MORE big models?
I’ll only buy them if my Dwarves get a giant steam golem/tank 😀
HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I second that! My first memories of Warhammer Fantasy is the awesome organ gun and dwarf slayers. Then I started playing Warhammer RPG and always loved to play dwarves. I’m still thinking of starting a dwarf throng, but the models are kinda outdated, so I’ll just wait for a new army book i guess and ’till that time I’m gonna concentrate on my Orks and pimp them out to the limits :D.
I don’t know if the game is that broken?? The more I play the more magic seems to be too random an element to rely on? Even with my super buffed slann – you can’t do much with 3 magic dice? So a magic heavy game could be great fun. Proper hero action. It will be interesting how GW balance this for all races. Might end up a little like warmachines = a race to kill the caster? I’m guessing the players would have to agree to a Storm of Magic game up front? Love the idea of more big… Read more »
My own concerns centre around the ongoing support for this.
I do feel that apocalypse kinda suffered a lack of support after getting off to a great start.
Fantasy needs something like this to ignite the magic again. Hopefully its something both the community and GW will get behind.
If GW can balance the play so perhaps you can take a giant gribbly in a normal game, but at big points, then there could be more legs in the expansion?
Bit like the new chaos stuff from fudgeworld – I believe the new book will allow some elements to be taken as rare choices in the regular game?
Im with you on the apocalypse issue. I feel like it should get more atention as it saved GW from falling a few years back. It single handedly restored the Toronto GW stores when people where giving it up. This fantasy version of apocalypse (that is if it turns out to be big scale) can do the same I think.
But all in all it will only be a short time supported suplement to the game just like apocalypse was for 40k. Time will tell.
Looking at this as primarily a collecter rather than a gamer, I think this is great news.
BUT I do see how some gamers may be a bit worried. Anything that takes focus off the core game system can be a bit bothersome, especially something big (pun intended) like this.
@joasht I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that the Dwarves are going to get some big war machines. I want to see a Runic Baneblade, haha!
Let’s see what it actually entails first though before we all lose the run of ourselves 🙂
Too late to get me back into the game, sadly the cost of rebuying rulebooks, army books, new minis etc for all GW mainstream games is prohibitive (for me at least)
For myself, I don’t play any of the Warhammer games, but I do like big monsters and new terrain is never a bad thing.
I’m looking forward to adding some collossal sized monsters to my D&D games! 🙂
BoW Andy
It could get me back into it, i think 8th ed was a massive step forward and love the new format army books. GW are embarking on a massive projecct with the game that i think that when its done will be totally amazing, so every step closer they get is a step closer for me to get more involved.
im a beginner in whfb, just started to collect skaven, dont know, i kinda like the new look of the ratogers ^^
some of my friends are playing whfb. im not able to buy me a lot of stuff, and big battles require a lot of models, but i like the idea of some big scale fantasy battles.
my english is pretty bad (im from germany ^^ and its far to long, since im out of school ^^)
Bring on a properly sized shaggoth
shaggoth baby yeah!!!!!!!
I think it is nice even though I think it might be a bit early for this. Up to now there is only one Armybook out for WHFB. I think it would be better to concentrate on some more armies first before shooting out an expansion. If they use this to give some love to all the armies I think its a good idea. New terrain is always nice and Monsters add a lot of flavor to the game.
Nah, We already got loads of Hydras, HPAs and now Arachnok spiders and Tombkings new big stuff. The gaming board just seems to shrink for every big model there is. I’d like to see a comeback to MSU units, a couple of gladeguards there, a few empire bowmen in a forest and so on. Now it’s just blocks of 40+ infantry for steadfast supported by big monsters for the kill and you just shuffle them at each other. Sometimes one just wish one could upload the armylists and let a computer work it out so you don’t have to deploy… Read more »
Warhammer Historical is a fine, fine system.
If you can find opponents, dive in. 🙂
My bets ae on the bottom picture being either a shaggoth, Manticore or a another big model gw are bringing out. Top model Rhinox anybody ?
One thing that really puts me down with big WFB battles is all the broken/unpainted/unbased, /lack of movement trays units on everyside if everything is painted (not just dipped) and properly based and on based movement trays. Then sure it would be quite cool but until the keep it small and focus on painting guides and how to motivate people to actually paint the’re minis, maybe GW could even start selling pre-painted miniatures for these prices?
I find this disappointing if it is a move towards “apocalypse” style gaming. I don’t want to buy more models so I can play the game, I want to buy more models and have tactical flexibility. I almost never play the game as it is, because it takes too long to play…. this will make that worse. On the topic of big monsters… I love the models, and big monsters have always been something that has made fantasy unique… however, in today’s metagame, they are not very good. So easily shot by artillery, they have to sneak around the board,… Read more »
I second the last sentence. That’s exactly how I feel. Until gw gets back to a more strategic game, i’m done.
Seeing as I nolonger play Warhammer (though I still have a fair few models) this really has no chance of enticing me back.
Something based on smaller forces, story driven battles and experience gaining would be much more likely to do that… though even then I doubt I would buy any new models.
Make me a black dragon the size of a baneblade and I’ll be happy. Very poor, but happy.
As with Apocalypse, the problem will be time , and money.
Not just time playing either, even more than 40k, its time in preparing the huge numbers of models needed for such games.
When it becomes a second job just getting your troops ready for a game, the games stopped being fun, even before you roll a dice.
Big monsters look cool, there will inevitably be some truly amazing miniatures , but as a game, it will be a short term fad, like apocalypse was.
Could it possibly be? Plastic greater daemons?
I think I’d eat my felt top hat if they appeared.
Might be close ups instead of big models?
hmmmm… and i just started an all Khorne daemon army… THEY HAVE NO MAGIC!!!! Give us dispel bonuses pleas GW
Got to have a Titan sized shaggoth they are mean to get to the size of mountains and bring on dwarf airships
I’m a big big fan of the new Warhammer Fantasy 8th edition. For all the moaning and ranting about Games Workshop and their prices, doomed prophecies of future resin kits taking over the range and a retreat from independent retailers, the one thing that remains is their ability to produce such superb games. I think the new Warhammer Fantasy is absolutely terrific and a game so many people will enjoy. I’m surprised to hear that it is in need of revitalisation already as to me this new game system has just got started. This newly proposed expansion ‘Storm of Magic’… Read more »
I agree with you 100%. An expansion is the last thing that 8th ed needs right now. What we really need are new army books. Why the hell are they trying to expand 8th, when half the army books don’t quite jive yet. Island of Blood didn’t move in huge numbers and that was the best way to get people in…if people aren’t playing 8th already….some lame expansion isn’t going to help.
Release more army books….get the ball rolling for 8th ed…then expand.
I think they should bring back nagash for it too
He’s used to coming back… Just dust him off carefully…
BoW Romain
Hmm. I read it as being Planetstrike for Warhammer but I suppose Apocalypse makes more sense.
If they do bring out something good enough I will take up fantasy based on which is my favourite
Big fantastical monsters are my favourite thing about fantasy so this could convince me to start an army for sure. Yes its expensive but I will just build it slowly I suppose…but fantastical monsters are awesome so this could be very cool from my point of view.