8th Edition Impressions: Core Rules

by SandWyrm

Since I now have my 8th Edition hardcover in hand, I'm going to start going through it and posting my thoughts on this new version of 40K. What I like, what I don't, and what I just find interesting.

We'll start with the Introduction and Core Rules.

Upcoming Game Demo Day Here In The Indy Area

by SandWyrm

We've been nicely asked to put up a post about some game demos, including 8th Edition 40K, that will be run locally at the Fishers library, on the north side of Indianapolis, this July.

What The... 8th Edition 40K Is Actually... Good?

by SandWyrm

Ok, my head is officially spinning.

If you've spent ANY time on this blog, you've seen me constantly comparing 40K to Flames of War, as I used to consider the latter to be the gold standard for a well-designed, clearly written ruleset. While I considered 40K (especially the 6th and 7th Editions) to be the opposite.

But then Battlefront, a few months ago, completely crapped the bed with the 4th Edition of Flames, which I now consider to be all but unplayable. While Games Workshop seems to have completely redesigned 40K into an intelligently streamlined game that's actually a lot of fun to play!

Watch These Guys Build A Working Chain Sword!

by SandWyrm

How much does that thing weigh? No wonder they're not swinging it around!

Talk About Weird War II...

by SandWyrm

Ok, so it's a Russian KV tank that's been tricked out with heaps of 40K-like detail. Cool!

It makes me want to ask GW, and everyone else, some questions though.

Today's Bit Of Truth

by SandWyrm

As the inevitable conflicts rage over what the 'true' way of 40K is these days, I would remind TOs of this simple truth. The problem isn't the players who aren't having fun. The problem is the game itself, and how the leaders of the 40K community are responding to its many problems.

Don't evade, deny, and cajole. Step up and unite instead! Form a counsel, decide what's kosher, and get every event out there on the same page. Otherwise your efforts will only further fragment what's left of the community, and keep your potential attendees in their basements.

This 3D Printer Will Kill Resin & Metal Casting

by SandWyrm

This is a time-lapse video (7x normal speed), but you're still talking about 6 minutes for a mini the size of a 40K figure, with extra-crisp and smooth detail.

Very Cool Aircraft Concept

by SandWyrm

Got this from the Conceptships Blog after seeing it elsewhere. Is it practical? Maybe not, but it's 100x cooler than any other Sci-Fi aircraft I've seen. Were I a large multi-national games model company, I'd be very keen on producing kits for something similar to this.

More pics follow...

3D Printing Is Now Ready To Compete In 28mm

by SandWyrm

I've been talking about 3D printing for a long time now, and like most everyone, I'd been wondering when we'd finally reach the point where a 28mm 3D printed mini would be indistinguishable from an injection-molded plastic or metal mini.

Well... That time has now arrived. Not on the home printers, not yet. But in this post I'm going to show you what the high-end printers are now capable of. With some 40K/Necromunda compatible prints from Shapeways that will blow you away.

Want To Create Your Own 3D-Printed Minis?

by SandWyrm

Merry Christmas!

We've gotten an email from Michel Daab, who's working on a website called "Create Your Minis". Where you can design your own minis, have them 3D printed, and sent to you. Cool idea, but how good is the service?

3D Printing: Would You Play Against This Army?

by SandWyrm

While agonizing over whether to buy in to the Kickstarter for this cool new 3D printer, I came across this pic of a 3D printed Space Marine force. You can see the printing 'layers' if you click on the pic and zoom in, but really... Does it look so bad? Would you even care if it was painted up to a tabletop standard?

Is It Just Me... Or Does This Thing Actually Look Good?

by SandWyrm

You bug players will have to tell me if it does very much to help the rest of the new codex, but I'm actually impressed with both the model and the rules for once. Rare high-five to GW!

BAE Demonstrates Hybrid-Electric Tank Prototype

by SandWyrm

Nice little demo video that shows off the internal layout and economy advantages of tanks having a hybrid-electric drive. A development that has been WAY too long in coming. What they don't show, however, is one of the best advantages of HE drives – STEALTH!

Squint, And They Almost Look Like Chimeras...

by SandWyrm

Nice pic of a Canadian live-fire exercise. Could almost imagine those trails being multi-laser bursts. :)

Gencon: Games Workshop

by SandWyrm

Some line...

Two years ago, GW had a booth that was nothing but blank cardboard boxes. With only the backs of their crew's t-shirts to tell you who they were. Last year, they did much better, with a nice booth, a large Apoc diorama, and a case of new products. This year though, they've fallen about half-way back to the cardboard box level. Gotta cut those costs I guess.

Sea Waaagh!!! - Part 2

by SandWyrm

Here's some more video of the UHAC that shows it swimming out to sea. Michael Bay did the filming though, so take your dramamine. ;)

I Hear His Bark Is Worse Than His Bite...

by Sandwyrm

Ok, so it's obviously just a WHFB version of the 40K Eldar Avatar. But on the other hand it's probably the coolest looking Avatar model that GW has ever put out. Especially if you were to model up an Exodite force around it.

GW: Is It All About The Anticipation?

by SandWyrm

I ran across an interesting video today. It's part of a talk by Robert Sapolsky about how Dopamine (which triggers reward-seeking behaviours in the brain) responds in relation to a rewarding activity. After watching it, I couldn't help but think of Games Workshop and it's inconsistent quality control. Is it the very inconsistency and randomness of their rules and financial results that keeps our attention focused on them? Are competing games/companies just inherently more boring in comparison?

Addiction In Games

by SandWyrm

Various sites are reporting today that Dong Nguyen, the creator of the iOS/Android game "Flappy Bird" has decided to pull his game from both app stores. Reportedly because he felt that the game was "Too Addictive". Not having heard about the game before seeing this news, I did some quick Googling. Which took me to some interesting IGN reviews that question whether this addictive game is actually any good or not. Which got me thinking about addiction in games generally.

(WARNING: This Article Might Be Uncomfortable To Read Or Think About)

Spaguatyrine Leaves the Back40K

By Spaguatyrine AKA Aaron Aleong

Readers of the back40K.  I have appreciated the years of communicating with you all my love of the game of Warhammer 40K.  I like to finish what I start.....