Bitches, my gaming club is in the south-east and not on that list!
http://maritimegames.co.uk/ details here <-
We have an assortment of both fantasy and 40k players, and also other systems like warmachine and malefeux.
Probably an old list., or you may not be GCN registered or something.
If you don't mind me asking... why?
Not really sure that this is the right forum point for it tbh.
However, as a summary:
Played GW games since ~1996 on and off.
My first edition of warhammer was 5th.
First ed of 40k was 2nd.
So, to put it into perspective, I've grown up with this.
Objectively, over this time I've seen:
Strong improvements to the warhammer rules from 5th to 6th ed, followed by a massive deterioration from 6th to 8th,.
Comparatively, the rules shift from 2nd to 3rd ed 40k was good in some ways, terrible in others (for example, removing movement values).
White dwarf go from: Something useful, to essentially a promotional flyer for new models, though the few more recent ones I've seen have some decent painting guides. Maybe it will improve again. I'm not holding my breath.
Paint pots go full circle, from excellently sealed rubber tops, to disasterous screw plastic tops, to terribly sealed plastic flip tops, back to rubber ones again.
A shift towards: Selling more models, to children essentially.
I'll discuss this later in more detail.
Basically, games workshop's business model has gone from: Being a 'games workshop' to 'selling product'
This is a strong business model, and actually benefits the modelling industry as a whole, again, which we'll see later.
Bear in mind, that this is only my opinion, and I'm sure Ronin can chime in and discuss stuff that happened before I was even born, but:
Everything that has changed in the rules has basically been a way to sell more product. Rules are now heavily simplified (See lack of movement values in 40k) rather than streamlined in order to appeal to a younger audience. Fantasy rules have now become a case of who can put more models on the table, favouring giant units There is very little that is actually tactical in either game system. It is now about list development. 40k apocalypse was for this reason too. New editions of the games are being pumped out left right and centre, as are army books. Now, these books are being revisited quicker and quicker, and you are having to buy them more often, due to the fact that GW are not even TRYING to put out a balanced set of rules. Because, at the end of the day, why would they bother? - If the new set of rules you bring out for an army are far stronger than everyone elses rules, well, all the players who are desperate to win at all costs will buy them, and everyone else will cry. But then, you need to 'update' all the other lists ASAP, because, well, they are 'out of date and underpowered', and need to be 'brought in line with the new lists'. No one who has seen the current blood angels codex can deny this power creep.
At the same time, the lack of tactics within the game and the (even stronger) influx of children into the hobby leaves more mature gamers like myself wanting something different. Games workshop used to also provide this, in the form of their specialist games list, but support for that is essentially nonexistent.
Which is why GW doesn't have any hold over me anymore.
Why this is a good business model for everyone:
GW sells far more product than it ever did using this model, and is far more streamlined: - They couldn't care less about WHO they are selling the product to, as long as they are selling it.
This is good for other games manufacturers because: - Well, anyone who is driven away from GW probably still wants to take part in the hobby, and that is where there is a niche for other companies. There are more players interested in trying something different, whether it is Flames of War, Infinity, Malifaux, Warmahordes, or any of the other systems out there. More children coming into the hobby with GW is fine, because, well, eventually they'll mature, and stop being smelly annoying little brats, and may start on one of these other game systems. I have NO PROBLEM with GW babysitting these gamers until they hopefully grow up a bit.
The dissatisfaction about GW has essentially led to an explosion in other game systems, many of which have fantastic models, which has led to more of a 'free market' and less of a gw monopoly in the games sector.
There are plenty of options for the more mature gamer. And by this, I mean someone who has numerous years in the hobby, rather than something necessarily totally age based.
Amongst all of this, GW still maintain the best range of miniatures on the market, particularly in terms of plastics, and continue to produce fantastic new sculpts.
.
