New editions (Spoiler Alert)

[wolfie65Participant 1238xp 0]

So I watched the intro battle report for Warhammer- The Old World -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRUV9KA1ZM – and the game seems to play pretty much like it has since at least 4th edition: rolling lots of 6s is good (that’s what kept the Tomb King player in the game, while the Bretonninan player failed almost all of his saves/blessings and his Knights were pretty much useless), anything resembling regular troops are basically just speed bumps or decoration and the game hinges on whether your ultra-maxxxed-out superhero can defeat the equally ultra-maxxxed-out mega-monster. Or whether your level Pi Wizard can get off that one battle winning spell.

In short, not very different from 5th or any other edition.

Which made me wonder why we need a new edition of game systems every few years. The obvious answer is, of course: money grab, but is there anything more to it than just that ?

Chess (Checkers, Backgammon, etc.) is FAR more popular than all miniature games put together will ever be and hasn’t had any rules changes for at least 1000 years, probably more. Chess fans will know more precise numbers, but you get my point.

Design a rules system, playtest it extensively and LET IT BE.

Ditto for any addenda, like new troop types.

If it’s good, people will keep buying it, even if the rule book is ‘old’………,

[labambamanParticipant 5xp 2]

New editions for the sake of improving the game are much needed and welcomed. Look at Heacy Gear Blitz. The change from 1st to 2nd edition was drastic, but breathed new life into the game by making the system better and more streamlined.

GW had a nasty habit of releasing new editions and not fixing the core problems many of their games suffered from. They mainly just did it to make people buy more books.

And then you have stuff like Battletech that puts out new “editions” only when there’s too much eratta to deal with (seriously, Battletech is just as old as 40K and on it’s fifth or maybe sixth edition).

Is anyone surprised that ToW is just gonna be a lazy warts and all rehash?

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