This Games Workshop geographic staggered release schedule has really gone beyond a joke now. This week we have releases supposedly available, but not available and only told to us by independent stockists, then we have partial releases in some places, and core products to support the releases not available.
Really the gripe isn't about availability, what it's about is the cultural impact of seeing something, getting excited, talking to your friends about it, working out if you can afford it, getting ready and then it not being there. Then there's the added factor of "when will it actually turn up?" - the Dark Angels took a month in Australia and New Zealand, and there's products we still don't have, or have silently snuck in to stores.
What this does is tell people that they are unimportant and that they don't belong in a Community of their peers. If your community is your gaming club, your social outlet and inspiration is social media or a group of likeminded people and you can't share in their experience, then you have fundamentally broken the core of the word "community".
Sort it out, Games Workshop. You are a multi-billion dollar company with the money and the supply chain to fix this. If it's a huge problem, then open an Amazon store and let them distribute it. OR you can completely change the narrative - have them up for pre-order in every country but with a little note saying "the delivery of this product will be delayed". That way the audience will still be involved in the transaction, we can have ownership of the buzz, you'll get the money, and we can be excited for it to arrive. You're breaking your community. You will have less foot traffic in stores, no more of those big release weekends and you will force buyers onto the 3rd party market.
Show some respect to your loyal fans, who pay top dollar, constantly show up and promote your products online. Sort it out! You owe it to us.
Really the gripe isn't about availability, what it's about is the cultural impact of seeing something, getting excited, talking to your friends about it, working out if you can afford it, getting ready and then it not being there. Then there's the added factor of "when will it actually turn up?" - the Dark Angels took a month in Australia and New Zealand, and there's products we still don't have, or have silently snuck in to stores.
What this does is tell people that they are unimportant and that they don't belong in a Community of their peers. If your community is your gaming club, your social outlet and inspiration is social media or a group of likeminded people and you can't share in their experience, then you have fundamentally broken the core of the word "community".
Sort it out, Games Workshop. You are a multi-billion dollar company with the money and the supply chain to fix this. If it's a huge problem, then open an Amazon store and let them distribute it. OR you can completely change the narrative - have them up for pre-order in every country but with a little note saying "the delivery of this product will be delayed". That way the audience will still be involved in the transaction, we can have ownership of the buzz, you'll get the money, and we can be excited for it to arrive. You're breaking your community. You will have less foot traffic in stores, no more of those big release weekends and you will force buyers onto the 3rd party market.
Show some respect to your loyal fans, who pay top dollar, constantly show up and promote your products online. Sort it out! You owe it to us.
It was meant to be Auxilia week, but alas we heard from independent stockists that theses releases would be delayed in Australia and New Zealand - proving yet again that the Next Week post on Warhammer Community is rarely correct. There's been a positive buzz about the Auxilia, but will that continue when the products don't appear?
Speaking of delayed, this week Australia and New Zealand (potentially Japan too) can pre-order the Dark Angels range. The new Codex Dark Angels, which comes in Cowled Greatness Collectors Edition and Man This Green Is Hard To Paint Well, Lets Go Back To Black Standard Edition leads the releases. Having the 8th and 9th Edition versions, Dark Angels Codex have been very light on lore and good uniform colour plates, so here's hoping the copy and paste from previous editions also gets some new content. Having read the book about the return of The Lion we're a bit baffled why the Dark Angels are still "hunting The Fallen" but here we go, as Asmodai, Master of Repentance comes forth with a brand new Primaris-scale mini. Heavily based on Mark Gibbons artwork, this is a chunky mini, very on-point for Dark Angels, plus comes with a choice of head options. Next up is Belial, Grand Master of the Deathwing, billowing cape and all, plus he also has head options. Speaking of the Deathwing - here are the Deathwing Knights - with this awesome update on what were already brilliant models. The amount of detail on these minis is incredible, really dipping into the lore and iconography of the Dark Angels. Prefer your Dark Angels in robes? Well the Inner Circle Companions are for you. With weapon, head and backpack options, this is a really thematic kit which will be loved by Dark Angels and Black Templar fans alike. There's also a new Dark Angels Upgrades and Transfers kit, which as with so many of the new kits comes with a Watcher in the Dark. Previously mysterious, maybe we should call them Watcher Emerging From The Dark from now on. This set comes with some great bits, including some for the Ravenwing, and yet more cowled heads. The Dark Angels also get a new Combat Patrol, giving you a Captain in Gravis Armour, three Bladeguard Veterans, five Hellblasters, and 10 Intercessors. Be aware that the transfer sheet in this set is the older one, not the one in the new Dark Angels Upgrades and Transfers kit. To top it all off, the Dark Angels also get the Datasheet Cards to make sure you can run them on the battlefield to their maximum potential.
Plus don't forget the lovely white marble and green Dark Angels Dice Set.
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Alrighty, let's see what we're all getting this week... (except Japan who miss out on all the Orcs and Goblins and North America who miss out on selected Orcs and Goblins. The bits Australia and New Zealand miss out are further down the page.)
Amongst the Warhammer: The Old World reissues, there are some nice new models too which can not only go with The Old World, but could very easily transition into your Age of $igmar army as well. Check out this big boy, the Black Orc Bigboss in resin. He's a beast and exactly how an Orc should be portrayed. It's interesting that he's not more like the current Black Orcs and more like the 7th Edition ones, but no matter as he's a beast! The other beauty is this Orc Command Set in resin. The character in both these models is extraordinary and they'd look amazing in any Orc force.
Let's go retro and have a look at the reissue stuff, starting off with a favourite, the Orc Shaman with Bone Staff in metal. An oldie but a goodie, this guy was drawn straight from some of the Mark Gibbons and Paul Bonner illustrations. Both of those artists were absolute masters with Orcs and this mini is a MUST for Orc fans. Let's go all the way back and see what Orcs looked like when I first started the hobby - the Orc Big ‘Uns and Orc Big ‘Uns Command in metal. This is how Orcs looked in my day, and they're still awesome. Even older is the Orc Warboss on Wyvern, which has been lovingly remastered in resin, making it much easier to deal with those heavy wings. Lets delve into those pesky little Goblins, with the classic metal, joined Night Goblin Bosses, Night Goblin Shamans, more Goblin Bosses, another Goblin Shamans, and some Goblin Nasty Skulkers, on parade. From the days of metal and plastic kits combined, we have the Goblin Wolf Rider Bosses, and the Goblin Wolf Chariot. Have a look at the riders in the chariot - they're a very different, much sharper realization of the Goblins. What's fascinating about the Goblin range is how they have evolved from the bulbous noses to the sharper features - and how much the sculptors loved doing them, loved exploring the character of them and that love really comes through. Goblins love their war machines, and the rerelease of the Goblin Rock Lobber with crew, the Goblin Bolt Throwa with crew, the Goblin Doom Diver Catapult with crew, and a Snotling Pump Wagon all in metal will please many a fan! Speaking of Snotlings, there's also four stands of them too! An absolutely fascinating release is the Troll Hag, newly remastered in resin. For years Games Workshop have veered away from any sort of nudity - thus the sad decline of Slaanesh - but the Troll Hag has very obvious breasts, which I think is a great move to include in a Fantasy setting. Even better, so far it's received zero comment. Also remastered in resin is the old school Giant and a miniature (if that's the word) that was lost in many people's mind but has made a return to the zeitgeist - the very large Bonegrinder Giant. That is a huge blast from the past and a formerly very rare kit! Rounding out Warhammer: The Old World this week are the beautifully sculpted Common Trolls in metal and the Badlands Ogre Bulls, also in metal.
This week in books is the new Emperor's Children themed Renegades: Lord of Excess in hardback
Speaking of delayed, this week Australia and New Zealand (potentially Japan too) can pre-order the Dark Angels range. The new Codex Dark Angels, which comes in Cowled Greatness Collectors Edition and Man This Green Is Hard To Paint Well, Lets Go Back To Black Standard Edition leads the releases. Having the 8th and 9th Edition versions, Dark Angels Codex have been very light on lore and good uniform colour plates, so here's hoping the copy and paste from previous editions also gets some new content. Having read the book about the return of The Lion we're a bit baffled why the Dark Angels are still "hunting The Fallen" but here we go, as Asmodai, Master of Repentance comes forth with a brand new Primaris-scale mini. Heavily based on Mark Gibbons artwork, this is a chunky mini, very on-point for Dark Angels, plus comes with a choice of head options. Next up is Belial, Grand Master of the Deathwing, billowing cape and all, plus he also has head options. Speaking of the Deathwing - here are the Deathwing Knights - with this awesome update on what were already brilliant models. The amount of detail on these minis is incredible, really dipping into the lore and iconography of the Dark Angels. Prefer your Dark Angels in robes? Well the Inner Circle Companions are for you. With weapon, head and backpack options, this is a really thematic kit which will be loved by Dark Angels and Black Templar fans alike. There's also a new Dark Angels Upgrades and Transfers kit, which as with so many of the new kits comes with a Watcher in the Dark. Previously mysterious, maybe we should call them Watcher Emerging From The Dark from now on. This set comes with some great bits, including some for the Ravenwing, and yet more cowled heads. The Dark Angels also get a new Combat Patrol, giving you a Captain in Gravis Armour, three Bladeguard Veterans, five Hellblasters, and 10 Intercessors. Be aware that the transfer sheet in this set is the older one, not the one in the new Dark Angels Upgrades and Transfers kit. To top it all off, the Dark Angels also get the Datasheet Cards to make sure you can run them on the battlefield to their maximum potential.
Plus don't forget the lovely white marble and green Dark Angels Dice Set.
_
Alrighty, let's see what we're all getting this week... (except Japan who miss out on all the Orcs and Goblins and North America who miss out on selected Orcs and Goblins. The bits Australia and New Zealand miss out are further down the page.)
Amongst the Warhammer: The Old World reissues, there are some nice new models too which can not only go with The Old World, but could very easily transition into your Age of $igmar army as well. Check out this big boy, the Black Orc Bigboss in resin. He's a beast and exactly how an Orc should be portrayed. It's interesting that he's not more like the current Black Orcs and more like the 7th Edition ones, but no matter as he's a beast! The other beauty is this Orc Command Set in resin. The character in both these models is extraordinary and they'd look amazing in any Orc force.
Let's go retro and have a look at the reissue stuff, starting off with a favourite, the Orc Shaman with Bone Staff in metal. An oldie but a goodie, this guy was drawn straight from some of the Mark Gibbons and Paul Bonner illustrations. Both of those artists were absolute masters with Orcs and this mini is a MUST for Orc fans. Let's go all the way back and see what Orcs looked like when I first started the hobby - the Orc Big ‘Uns and Orc Big ‘Uns Command in metal. This is how Orcs looked in my day, and they're still awesome. Even older is the Orc Warboss on Wyvern, which has been lovingly remastered in resin, making it much easier to deal with those heavy wings. Lets delve into those pesky little Goblins, with the classic metal, joined Night Goblin Bosses, Night Goblin Shamans, more Goblin Bosses, another Goblin Shamans, and some Goblin Nasty Skulkers, on parade. From the days of metal and plastic kits combined, we have the Goblin Wolf Rider Bosses, and the Goblin Wolf Chariot. Have a look at the riders in the chariot - they're a very different, much sharper realization of the Goblins. What's fascinating about the Goblin range is how they have evolved from the bulbous noses to the sharper features - and how much the sculptors loved doing them, loved exploring the character of them and that love really comes through. Goblins love their war machines, and the rerelease of the Goblin Rock Lobber with crew, the Goblin Bolt Throwa with crew, the Goblin Doom Diver Catapult with crew, and a Snotling Pump Wagon all in metal will please many a fan! Speaking of Snotlings, there's also four stands of them too! An absolutely fascinating release is the Troll Hag, newly remastered in resin. For years Games Workshop have veered away from any sort of nudity - thus the sad decline of Slaanesh - but the Troll Hag has very obvious breasts, which I think is a great move to include in a Fantasy setting. Even better, so far it's received zero comment. Also remastered in resin is the old school Giant and a miniature (if that's the word) that was lost in many people's mind but has made a return to the zeitgeist - the very large Bonegrinder Giant. That is a huge blast from the past and a formerly very rare kit! Rounding out Warhammer: The Old World this week are the beautifully sculpted Common Trolls in metal and the Badlands Ogre Bulls, also in metal.
This week in books is the new Emperor's Children themed Renegades: Lord of Excess in hardback
Alrighty, lets have a look at what Australia and New Zealand definitely won't be getting to pre-order this week, Japan won't get some of, and the US and Canada will also not get some of... clear as mud!
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Warhammer: The Old World have been releasing these background books for each faction they're releasing, this this next one is the Arcane Journal: Orc & Goblin Tribes. This goes along with the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion which reissues classic (and some not long discontinued) Orc models, a set of two plastic Orc Bosses (including a Black Orc standard bearer) and the Orc Boyz Mob, which also comes in the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion. This hasn't been long out of production, so it would be surprising to see this run off the shelves! There's also a nice set of Orc & Goblin Tribes Dice and Cards too.
Horus Heresy had a very big update this week, obviously not available to all, with the brand new Campaigns in the Age of Darkness: The Battle for Beta Garmon expansion launching. This is actually quite a big deal, as it also launches the first expansion away from Space Marines in the current incarnation of Horus Heresy - the Solar Auxilia. This has been quite the topic of chatter, with the Solar Auxilia Tactical Command Section, Solar Auxilia Lasrifle Section and Solar Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section all up for pre-order so soon after the Army Box was launched. The Veletaris Storm Section is much anticipated in this house, so the delay is incredibly annoying. There is also a bevvy of new vehicles, the Malcador Heavy Tank, Leman Russ Assault Tank, Leman Russ Strike Tank (why this isn't a combi- kit is beyond us) and the Dracosan Armoured Transport rounding out an impressive armoured fist. There's also the Aethon Heavy Sentinel, which may be the ugliest thing GW have released in some time. There's also two transfer sheets too - the Solar Auxilia Vehicle Markings, and the reissued Legiones Astartes Blackshields. Interesting the Solar Auxilia Transfer Sheet isn't also getting a reissue.
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Warhammer: The Old World have been releasing these background books for each faction they're releasing, this this next one is the Arcane Journal: Orc & Goblin Tribes. This goes along with the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion which reissues classic (and some not long discontinued) Orc models, a set of two plastic Orc Bosses (including a Black Orc standard bearer) and the Orc Boyz Mob, which also comes in the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion. This hasn't been long out of production, so it would be surprising to see this run off the shelves! There's also a nice set of Orc & Goblin Tribes Dice and Cards too.
Horus Heresy had a very big update this week, obviously not available to all, with the brand new Campaigns in the Age of Darkness: The Battle for Beta Garmon expansion launching. This is actually quite a big deal, as it also launches the first expansion away from Space Marines in the current incarnation of Horus Heresy - the Solar Auxilia. This has been quite the topic of chatter, with the Solar Auxilia Tactical Command Section, Solar Auxilia Lasrifle Section and Solar Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section all up for pre-order so soon after the Army Box was launched. The Veletaris Storm Section is much anticipated in this house, so the delay is incredibly annoying. There is also a bevvy of new vehicles, the Malcador Heavy Tank, Leman Russ Assault Tank, Leman Russ Strike Tank (why this isn't a combi- kit is beyond us) and the Dracosan Armoured Transport rounding out an impressive armoured fist. There's also the Aethon Heavy Sentinel, which may be the ugliest thing GW have released in some time. There's also two transfer sheets too - the Solar Auxilia Vehicle Markings, and the reissued Legiones Astartes Blackshields. Interesting the Solar Auxilia Transfer Sheet isn't also getting a reissue.
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