So, as I predicted, the new Forgeworld Index table of contents has been released, and many beloved models and a number of factions have been removed from the game. Sadly this isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with this situation (I’ve had 3 armies be discontinued). Let’s take a quick minute to mourn some of those we have lost:
In today’s article I figure I would share some of the things I’ve learned from losing an army, and hopefully it will be of some help for you.
1. It’s okay to be sad
I should start this list by prefacing it that, yes this is just a game, and that having a beloved army discontinued isn’t a national tragedy (in the grand scheme of things). That being said many armies have a deep personal significance to their players. For me, my corsair army was heavily converted and I had a lot of fun scrounging around to find the perfect odd bit to add character. I think for each of us we pour a measure of ourselves into the minis we paint and thus facing the prospect of never getting to use those minis again is dispiriting. In my experience, I have found it helpful to spend some time acknowledging the loss rather then downplaying or suppressing it.
2. Acknowledge that everything has an end
I think if you talked to an average 40k player, they would admit that, at some point in the future, the models in their collection will be discontinued. Whether this is right or not is another matter, but I think we all understand that GW makes money selling minis and that they need to generate new ones to remain profitable. We have seen the arrival of Primaris as a herald of the future of marines. Even looking outside of individual ranges there will come a time when you will play your final game of 40k and you will step away from the hobby for good. Everything has a start and an end and if we don’t acknowledge that we deceive ourselves.
3. Gone doesn’t mean forgotten
Now that I’ve dragged everyone down, here is some hope: While GW has dropped the line, they aern’t going to be sending collection vans around to round up your existing minis. For some minis, what once was a corsair is now a guardian or kabalite warrior in a themed list. Converted models can be used in other capacities and can even give you a start at a new army. By the same logic, you can use your current armies in friendly or narrative events. Just because you can’t take a Corsair army to the LVO (and let’s be honest…were you ever really going to do that?) doesn’t mean you have to relegate your army to the ash-heap of history. Furthermore some of these armies may return in the future. You can never tell when or in what form an army might suddenly re-appear supported by a raft of new minis and rules. Five years ago how many of us would have anticipated wholesale ranges coming for such obscure armies as Harlequins or Genestealer cults?
One of the best things about this hobby is the freedom it gives the hobbyist. At the end of the day your minis are precisely that: your minis. While you may have to conform to certain criteria to play in tournaments there is so much more to the game of 40k then tournaments. I would argue the most enjoyable moments are the small ones found with a few friends, some homemade terrain and some cherished minis.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
#3 is the crux of the issue; when were the DKoK, Elysian Paras or Eldar Corsiars ever seen during the previous editions at big events ?? I can remember one army in the past five years.
NO model on FW/GW website = NO updated rules for serious tournament play
I played them for the 2019 season in the ITC you could make a fun if somewhat wonky list. But in many ways the kiss of death was delivered when they lost all of the unique units without models from the IA book
https://imgur.com/AAATqog
FLG is now 93% ads
Ah, that image shows an article with no ads on it and a navigation sidebar? Am I missing something?
Uh, stop supporting a company doing that crap? GW isn’t WOTC and this isn’t MTG. A standard rotation is not okay. How many invested hours/dollars to they have to steal before people shake of this Stockholm syndrome nonsense and take their money elsewhere? Oh hey, maybe 40ks next edition with be square bases after GW gives it the Fantasy treatment. Wonder how many Primaris dumpster fires will pop up on YouTube.
I am bitter, angry, and summarily disappointed with ForgeWorld. I loved Corsairs, and I didn’t purchase those kits and do all that kitbashing to “proxy” them as something else.
Needless to say I will never purchase anything from ForgeWorld again, and I will be hard pressed to buy any anything else from Games Workshop. Corsairs had models in production less than 4 years ago. It’s ridiculous. They have done everything within their power to kill creativity in the hobby. They may as well spit on Alan Bligh’s grave.
All that said, I love the faction, and I will support Corsairs until my dying breath. To that end I have been writing and updating a Codex for them and the link follows below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1291JGGvFP0qys5jb36Ay7Fv_S54Jypw7/view?usp=sharing
I am in the process of updating this for 9th edition. Go check out the Eldar subreddit for updates. As far as I’m concerned FW/GW can go f*ck themselves.
Couldn’t agree more, Anhrathe.
My solution is to stick with 7th edition. I have all the codexes, all the datacards, all the IA books, all the supplements now.
It’s not a perfect ruleset by any means, but it has lots of rules, variants & more importantly, lots of flavour & is perfect for narrative play, which I most enjoy.
If you have a few good people who don’t want to abuse the rules, then it’s great fun.
I now buy all my new minis from either eBay, 3rd party producers, or, erm, somewhere else.
Screw GW. Screw their corporate scalping. As Gavin Thorpe said, they’re our toy soldiers & we can do what we want with them.