June passed quickly in a frenzy of painting and fingernail biting as everyone around the US Studio prepared for Games Day and the 1999 Road Show. If we weren't building a life-size Imperial bunker, painting up barrels of mutagen, or converting tons of mutants and Fallen for the summer battle tour, we were sleeping (cut us some slack - we only slept about 2 hours a night). Now that the dust has settled and Baltimore is still recovering, we finally have some time to sit down and bring you all the excitement from here in the US Studio. Are all you virtual GW fans ready for the cool news and information about to come your way? Get a beverage and grab your favorite snack, we've got lots to tell you.
We've got all the sections you've come to anticipate with glee each month in this issue. We'll preview the upcoming Codex: Eldar, talk about the Hunt for the Fallen Battle Tour, which previewed at US Games Day. Also, find out the scoop on the first ever, Games Workshop Online Contest. For those of you who placed a vote on your favorite army, the results are in and you might be a little surprised. See how your army fared.
Well, enough of this talk, let's get started!
To help all you fanatics out there who are constantly looking for more things to get involved in, we've got this section which will be absolutely perfect for you. We get a list together of all the upcoming Games Workshop events that we know about and pass the information on to you. Of course, you can always check out your own copy of White Dwarf magazine to find out more details about all the events happening in your backyard.
The Canadian Grand Tournament has completely filled up and then some. Congratulations to all of you who made it in this year's gaming filled weekend. Just to recap and remind everyone, the much anticipated frenzy of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 gaming will take place over the weekend of August 14 and 15 at Humber College in Toronto, Canada. Now get busy finishing up those armies!
The new Zombies Regiment boxed set has got to be the most disgusting of all the plastic miniatures we have ever put together. To commemorate such a horrifying beginning, we've decided to hold a contest! We know that there are will be tons of people who are simply going to go berserk once they get their hands on these models. What we want to know is whether you can paint them so beautifully gut-wrenching that they make us sick!
If you think you have what it takes to paint the grossest Zombie in the world, get yourself a Zombie (or 20) and make it horrible. Ok, it's a little more complicated than that with official rules and everything, so if you want more information, visit the News and Information section of the Games Workshop Website. However, be sure to act quickly. The deadline for your model (or a picture of your model) to make it through the front door and into our hands is September 1st, 1999.
Why should you paint the grossest Zombie? For starters, winning this competition will crown you king of the world (and Undead Zombies)! Think of the prestige, the glory when you say, "Look guys, this is the grossest Zombie on the planet!" Not enough? Well, we've convinced the makers of the Vampire Counts Army book to sign it. That's right, Rick Priestly, Tuomas Pirinen, and Alessio Cavatore will all sign this unholy tome, making it perfect for framing in your private art gallery (you may need to hire a guard and install a security system). What's more is we'll throw in some Zombies (since we know you can paint them to be as hideous as they were intended) as well as some of the pre-release Undead models we have here at the studio. Hope that got your attention. Go check out all the official rules and pop open your pots of paint. The call of the Undead must be heeded!
The galaxy became even smaller last weekend as the Fallen realized they could run, but they could not hide from the relentless pursuit of their former brethren. The Battle Tour was a huge success at US Games Day 1999 and was even able to easily boast itself as the loudest table in the entire hall! Officially, the Dark Angels are now amongst the stars searching for their traitorous brothers. Hopefully, the Dark Angels devotion to this great task will not prove to be too great. Now, you can help decide the fate and outcome of this epic battle!
Our second stop (the first being Games Day) was at Dream Wizards in Rockville, Maryland. Tons of people showed up and elbowed their way to the table to get in on the excitement. For the first two waves of the attack, there was no definitive victory for either side. The Dark Angels fought valiantly, but not even the mighty Ravenwing was able to thoroughly and decisively trounce the foul abominations of Chaos. The Dark Angels had to develop a new type of battle plan.
For the final apocalyptic battle at Dream Wizards, the robed warriors of the Emperor launched an all out attack. Deathwing came to the surface in wave after wave, the Ravenwing rolled out on wheels of thunder, bolters blazing at the enemies of the Imperium. Tactical Marines from the 3rd Company pressed the attack to revenge their deceased brothers. This was the all-important assault as it was reported that Cypher had made an appearance.
Members of the Fallen swarmed the planet, leading squads and maneuvering for position on their own. The Dark Angels were enraged and fought with the full might of the Emperor. While they captured many of the Fallen they encountered on the battlefield, their loses were so heavy that they will be recruiting for many long months to try and even up their numbers. As a result, though it was a moral victory for the Dark Angels, the infestation of Chaos was not cleansed making Dream Wizards a haven for the insidious forces of the gods of Chaos.
With reinforcements on the way, the Dark Angels have yet to give up. In fact, the Hunt for the Fallen gets busier each day. Many Dark Angels Scouts have been dispatched to recon as many rumors and sightings as possible in a month's time, their daunting task now set before them. If you would like to stop by the battlefield down the street from your house, check the website for more details in the Hunt for the Fallen section of News and Information or read the article found in US White Dwarf #234. The website will also be covering the tour in depth. For reports from the various fronts, keep your eyes glued to the screen and the browser locked on target on the Games Workshop website.
After the dust settled and the storm cleared, Baltimore, Maryland was still standing! A veritable horde of the most frenzied and insane hobbyists from across the United States flooded the halls of the Baltimore Convention Center. If you weren't there, then you missed out on a lot of great fun. Just to tease you, we thought we'd give a quick overview.
The doors of the Convention Center opened promptly at 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. It was like a huge wave of people washed over the building as crazed Games Workshop fanatics swarmed through the area looking at all the awesome tables. The Canadians built a spectacular table based around the idea of a Dark Eldar raid. There were even working lights, Dark Eldar being blown to smithereens by heavy bolter fire, and Dark Angels in a fierce firefight with members of the Fallen. If you didn't see it at Games Day, you might have missed it for good. However, if we hear that it might make an appearance somewhere else, we'll let you know so you can plan a new vacation and make sure not to miss it twice!
As always, the line around the Golden Demon section on Saturday was long and slow moving as people stood and gazed in wonder. Everyone scrambled to take a peek at some of the best painted models in the US. We had an incredible showing this year with great battle scenes, original Space Marine Chapters, and all the other fantastic categories you love. Be sure to pick up US White Dwarf #237 to look at all the winners.
A special treat this year was in the hands of legendary Games Workshop figure, Tuomas Pirinen. Kind enough to make the long flight from England, he arrived and inducted us all into the ways of the upcoming release of Mordheim - City of the Damned! Set in the devastated city of Mordheim, mercenary gangs have flocked to the city in search of fame and fortune. All manner of people and creatures have traveled in droves to the city that was demolished by a huge Wyrdstone meteorite, now they hope to find a chunk of this strange rock which will allow them to retire in luxury.
Tuomas will bring over some of the scenery we'll find in the boxed set (which looks fantastic by the way). Multi-story buildings crumbling in ruins, with ladders and ledges, make up the bulk of the scenery. No system is complete without new models to play with and paint, so those great UK guys brought over some of the future miniatures to show off. Can't tell you too much about what is planned yet, but if you want to get a basic feel for the action of the game, see US White Dwarf #229 to #233. Also, be sure to look to both the website and future issues of White Dwarf for even more information and a possible glimpse at this upcoming game (I'm thinking of playing Skaven).
This is the section where we let loose and dispel many of the unfounded rumors, or just pre-empt them with tales of the future in the Games Workshop Hobby. Read on to find out what you'd be missing out on if you decided to crawl into a cave for the next month.
In a few months time, the fans of the ancient race of Eldar will be appeased. Codex: Eldar has been long awaited by the many fans of these elegant and graceful warriors of death known as Eldar. Just a quick glance through the wargear section of the book will once again reclaim the hearts of experienced Farseers as well as recruiting the hearts and minds of the uninitiated. We'll explore some of the exciting new pieces of wargear as well as the arrival of the jetbike riding Shining Spear Eldar.
One of the more popular questions we received during the era of Warhammer 40,000 2nd edition was when are we going to make Shining Spear models. We're proud to finally announce that they are on the way. Here in the US Studio, we've gotten our hands on them and believe it when we tell you, they are every bit as impressive as they deserve to be. So what? What good are Shining Spears in Warhammer 40,000 you ask?
If you open up your main rulebook, you'll find the basic rules for how to use these alien riders. The stats haven't changed much with the introduction of the Codex. What does change is the wargear. Bet you've been wondering what the laser lance is capable of. Well, wonder no longer. Laser lances are large close combat weapons (the lance part) with the sophisticated technology of the Eldar attached to the end in the form of a laser rifle (the laser part). A Shining Spear delivers a blast of laser firepower into the enemy as he charges BEFORE they actually make it into combat. These casualties count towards combat resolution for the turn. As if decimating the enemy right before you clash in hand-to-hand combat wasn't enough, the Shining Spears still get to attack as normal. We can't give you the full stats of the weapon, but just imagine the devastation an opponent faces at the hands of Shining Spears.
Let's just do some math here for a second. You can have 3 - 5 Shining Spears in a unit. For our purposes, we've taken the full five man squad with an Exarch leading it. They declare a charge against a squad of 10 Space Marines. On their way into the assault, they all fire with their laser lances for five shots. They have a 4 BS, so will hit on a 3+. Next we have the assault. Four basic attacks for the regular Shining Spears, +1 attack for charging bringing the total to 8, then we have the Exarch who has 2 attacks and +1 for charging. That's a lot of dice and probably a lot of dead Space Marines.
We will mention and give a little hint about some of the wargear that Exarchs can take. To keep with the Shining Spears theme, we'll tell you about the skills available to a Shining Spear Exarch. First choice is Skillful Rider, which allows the Exarch to lead his squad unerringly down ravines and around trees. The entire squad never has to make a difficult terrain test. Car insurance companies around the globe would go out of business if we all knew someone with this skill! A Farseer can also choose to give the Exarch Evade. With this ability, the Exarch is adept at maneuvering his jetbike and avoiding incoming enemy fire. His armor save becomes Invulnerable (a 3+ Invulnerable save)!!!
There are several different levels of choices you get when you run an Eldar army. Depending on what kind of model you are trying to equip, you may choose from the following categories: Eldar Weapons, Wargear, Farseer Psychic Powers, Warlock Powers, and Vehicle Upgrades. Then there's the varied list of different Exarch powers. Designer Gavin Thorpe has truly captured the spirit of this mystical race of warriors.
Look for Codex: Eldar to arrive soon!
Many Imperial Guard players remember when we released a certain special boxed set. The Praetorians were on the shelves for only a short period of time and disappeared again before everyone could get their hands on these awesome models. Due to popular demand (and because we love these models too), the Praetorians will return once more to defend humanity. Coming in August to the United States, Canada, and the Mail Order Online store, you'll be able to get your hands on all the models that were out before, plus several new miniatures you'd be willing to fight for, like a Praetorian Missile Launcher heavy weapon team. Keep checking back to the website for more information on these troopers and ordering information.
At the Australian Games Day 1999, Battlefleet Gothic made its debut. In honor of all the new BFG players from around the world, we've put together some more commonly asked questions from the planet's most exciting space combat miniatures game. If you have a question you'd like to see explained for Battlefleet Gothic, email us at Troll@games-workshop.com and we will try and answer it as best as possible.
1. If my Retribution Class Battleship rams a Blackstone Fortress does my opponent roll the 16d6 for damage against my ship or 8d6 (1/2 the starting damage)?
Ramming defenses should be very discouraging, so defenses should roll their full damage dice against would-be rammers (16D6 ouch!).
2. My ship is fired upon from another ship directly ahead of it, leaving two blast markers to the ship's front, in contact with the base. When it comes time to move my ship, I have no shields and must move through the blast markers. Does the ship take potential hits for an unshielded ship moving through blast markers? To put it another way, does a ship with no shields take hits when moving through blast markers the ship began in contact with?
No, only ships with a shield strength of 0 (i.e. due to shields collapse critical or being Eldar) takes these hits, not simply a ship that currently has no shields up.
3. I have 4 escorts with Strength 2 torpedoes launch a combined volley of Strength 8. The enemy fires a Strength 2 torpedo at them. The two hit and both "markers" are removed? Is that right or is the S2 marker removed and the S8 goes down to S6?
The S8 marker is removed along with the S2 marker.
Now that you know a little more about Battlefleet Gothic, go out and challenge the nearest Sector Admiral. If you want a real challenge, plan a trek to Australia and test your mettle against those great captains! The Battlefleet Gothic War has now drawn yet another country into the fray - the fate of the Gothic Sector now rests in all of our hands.
Last month we asked what your favorite armies were and held our breath to see who would come out on top. All of us in the US Studio had our own opinions about who would be crowned favorite army on the Internet. Without further adieu, we've compiled the results. I bet you'll be surprised.
Space Marines - 38% of the votes
Eldar - 18%
Tyranids - 10%
Dark Eldar - 9%
Chaos Space Marines - 7%
Orks - 7%
Imperial Guard - 3%
Sisters of Battle - 2%
Necrons - 1%
And we even logged a trace amount of Squats screaming for release from the Warp!
Undead - 17% of the votes
Skaven - 11%
Bretonnian - 10%
High Elves - 10%
Orcs and Goblins - 10%
Dark Elves - 9%
Dwarfs - 8%
Lizardmen - 7%
Wood Elves - 7%
Empire - 4%
Chaos - 2%
Dogs of War - 1%
Who would have thought we'd get some votes for those short statured, huge pointy hat wearing, tusked and bearded relatives of the Dwarfs. That's right, Chaos Dwarfs received a few votes. There has to be something of the small of size that keeps them in the minds of our hobbyists!
One subscriber gave us a great idea in an email he sent in. The name of the newsletter is pretty boring and not in line with the other exciting names of Games Workshop games and models. So, we are officially in search of a new name. We'll record all the suggestions and take the one we like the most. Sure, it's completely subjective, but as long as it appropriately describes what our goals are, then you've got a good chance of at least beating the current title we have! Please send your suggestions to our new address for Newsletter questions, comments, and concerns at Troll@games-workshop.com.
Ever thought about working for the greatest gaming company in the world? Games Workshop is always looking for dedicated hobbyists around the globe to fill the needs of our many customers. Now you can use the newsletter as a resource to see what new positions are opening.
Games Workshop North America is proud to announce the opening of several new stores. If they aren't open now then they will be soon, so be on the look out for these new locations. In Alberta, Canada, Sunridge Mall is now able to boast the addition of a Games Workshop Hobby Center. If you leave near Calgary, drive past this site and get involved with the store events.
Residents of New Jersey will soon have the first Games Workshop store in that state. Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey will open within the next few months. Be sure to stop by the mall for more information.
Just as you might expect, opening new stores means we need more staff. If you live near any of these locations and are interested in working for a Games Workshop, then get a resume together and send it, along with a cover letter explaining a little bit about yourself and telling us all the things that makes you special, to:
Obviously, we've had to hold back some information here with the next issue slated to be out in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, this will be enough to keep you slavering for more. We always want to hear from you with any comments you have about the quality of our publication, so send your thoughts to us at Troll@games-workshop.com.
Remember, keep checking out the Games Workshop website for more information and great articles at www.games-workshop.com. Be sure to check out the new How To: section which details how to paint Ork flesh to how to assemble a Battlefleet Gothic Fleet in three hours to how to get the most out of your Skeleton Warriors sprue. Games Workshop Online - we have it all!
