Hi All,
While there are a variety of opinions about the quality and variety of shows on Warhammer TV, I have (for the most part) enjoyed the shows they have uploaded. I will do a full Angels of Death review later, but it was better then I was expecting and heralded some interesting ideas. The other main new show has been the anthology series Hammer and Bolter. Ostensibly covering both Age of Sigmar and 40k (as best I can tell from the adds) it appears that all the episodes thus far are from the 40k Universe. Now I am a huge sucker for anthology series, especially short animated stories (Love, Death and Robots is a favorite of mine) so this series is made for me but I will try to make it as objective as I can.
Overall thoughts:
As with the power level of codexes the overall quality of the show has increased as time has gone by. The voice acting tends to outshine the visuals, though it can be distracting if you have listened to a lot of the Black Library titles and recognize the same voices. The episodes are pretty short (usually around 15-17 minutes) serve almost as introductions to the armies and how they exist in the fictional universe. I am optimistic that the quality will continue to improve as many of the vignettes are both interesting and compelling. As I have said before, the 40k setting is a very rich place to tell stories, if the designers can lean into these small moments, and avoid using excessive violence as a crutch, they can create some deep stories.
Ranking:
I will confess my methodology is largely subjective so take it all with a grain of salt (or a lot more if you like Space Wolves). As with all good lists I will start from the lower ranked episodes and move to the higher ones. I will try to avoid spoilers.
#9: Fangs
I know it’s not good to start off a ranking with your most controversial pick, but I really don’t like Space Wolves. Needless to say this doomed the episode from the start for me. I would encourage you to watch it yourself but I had a hard time getting over the faction selection. I promise I will be more objective moving forward.
#8: Cadia Stands
This one was a tough one as I do like stories about regular humans fighting in a universe dominated by superhuman evils. The story does a good job showing the pride of the Cadians and their abilities but it came off a little over the top at times. Like, we get it, these people are really good soldiers….it just made them feel quite two-dimensional at times.
#7: A Question of Faith
Not the most interesting of stories, and somewhat predictable (I think the Sororitas deserved a better story). That being said I felt the episode had the best thematic feel of the listed episodes. If we interpret these episodes as giving an introduction to the lore and worldview of each faction few episodes do it better then this one.
#6: Death’s Hand
While I felt this episode did have one of the more complete stories I did feel it fell victim some crazy “Just as Planned” shenanigans. That being aside the story has everything from Eldar rangers to inquisitors and assassins. However, another minor gripe I have with the episode is that some of the fighting felt gratuitous and the time and budget could have been better spent elsewhere.
#5: Old Bale Eye
As with “A Question of Faith” this episode is even more about evoking a thematic feel then telling a true story. I think the injection of humor works really well here and is what elevates it compared to the last episode. The Orks role as comedic relief is firmly emphasized in this episode but not in a way that feels unduly forced. In the end it helps explain the Ork worldview as well as provide a deeper view into Commissar Yarrick as well.
#4: Bound for Greatness
One of the things that I like the most about this episode is how well it illustrates the many dangers that exist in the 40k universe and how easy it is to fall afoul of them. Another episode that is more thematic the narrative it works as a great way to introduce people to the feel of the Imperium of Man. To someone who is new to the setting I might recommend this as the first episode to watch as it establishes the reasoning behind a lot of the Imperium’s more tyrannical tendencies.
#3: Kill Protocol
Another great video that nails the logic behind one of the weirder factions in 40K this episode really captures the convoluted reasoning of the Adeptus Mechanicus and how they operate. The episode doesn’t gloss over the callousness of the martian priests yet at the same time captures a softer side to them as well (depending on how you interpret the actions right before the end of the episode). While I don’t think it fully makes sense in terms of how the tech they focus on make sense it’s an interesting story.
#2: Artifacts
I would argue this is one of the more mind bending episodes in the lot. It’s another episode that isn’t afraid in inject some humor into an otherwise bleak story. Furthermore this episode contains some of the more interesting story elements so far. My only complaint is that I would love to have seen more of Trazyn, who knows though I am sure he will pop up again.
#1: In the Garden of Ghosts
Another easy pick, these kinds of stories are perfect for the format and, if GW can pick up the quality and even out the consistency of stories, will make the universe very accessible for a broad audience. It’s a great story, that has a few twists and turns and manages to pull on your heartstrings quite successfully. There are some issues if you poke the story given the lore but these are minor and can be overcome without too many gymnastics.
So far I have been really happy with the series. I think there are some real duds but for the most part these shorts serve as an easy way to experience the universe and the various race’s stories. I think if they tighten up some of the animation and keep the focus on the small moments in 40k this can be a very successful series.
What are your thoughts on the rankings? How would you rank the episodes? Leave a comment and let me know!
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