One Month without GW and Counting (and some Flames of War)

Using considerably less willpower than I thought it would take, I've managed to avoid buying any GW products (even my secret weapons: babab black and devlan mud washes) over the last month since my post/moan about the price rise. This has to be the longest that I have gone without since I got back into the hobby about three years ago, and considering how much I often spent every month it feels like a major milestone. Of course, I havent saved any money as I have sublimated my desire to buy GW plastic crack into buying FoW metal/resin crack.

Last week, I also had my first go at FoW - three massed tank battles against Russians at 2,000pts (i.e. lots of Panthers & Panzer IV Hs versus T-34s). It was fun, and the rules (or at least the basic set we used) began to make more sense on the table than just reading them in the rulebook. My next goal is to build up an infantry list, maybe with some planes as part of divisional support.

ANOTHER &%*$£^ GW Price Rise???!!!

Well, it looks like it's that time of the year again: the time when GW hike up their prices. Since I got back in the Hobby in 2007, there have already been two rises and this latest one will mean that, for example, Terminators will be 2 quid more, codexes £2.50 more and a Monolith will be £37.50!!! (All this in spite of a pretty large rise in profits). Couple this with GW's awful attitude to fans - i.e. no official forums, no incentive to buy online rather than in stores, hyperactive lawyers, generally ignoring veteran gamers etc. and it feels to me like a line has been crossed. I'm going to keep playing 40K, but will try as long as possible to resist GW by:

Not Buying New: I havent bought new at a GW store for probably a year anyway; buying instead either online via Maelstrom Games or if I need it NOW buying at the Wargamestore. I'm going to try (famous last words!) and not buy anything new from GW, buying either alternatives (see below), painting other types of minis (see below), or secondhand from ebay. This means, at the very least, that my plan of painting up some Tomb Kings has probably gone out of the window lol

Find Alternatives: Rather than just painting GW minis or using GW products, I'm going to also try and find alternatives. For example, I'm really liking the look of the Greatcoat Troopers by Wargames Factory, and I'm sure that there are enough different mini companies out there to keep me occupied. This will also mean that rather than feeling that I have to paint up 1k or 1.5k of minis, I can just paint individual minis that I like the look of. I'm also going to start replacing my GW paints and washes with Vallejo ones (which are cheaper and contain more paint) as they run out.

Diversify: I've found myself drawn more and more recently to playing Flames of War. So, as well as painting other types of minis, I'm going to diversify into that as well - collecting a small German Eastern Front army in tribute to Cross of Iron.

Let's see how long I can go cold turkey for...

What Should Games Workshop Do?

A really interesting post over at Sepulchre of Heroes, with some ideas about what they think GW should do. I've already posted some thoughts over there, but for my money:

1. Codexes. It's really frustrating when you have an army that has not had a codex for ages (i.e. Eldar, Necrons etc.), not least as every time a new codex comes out for an army it's so turbo-charged (to encourage purchases) that it makes the older codexes harder to cope (i.e. the new Guard codex where you can field 50 Guard or something as one troop choice, 5 tanks per HS choice etc). I appreciate the logistics of this, but it would be nice if codexes could be re-balanced when new rules come out rather than just turbocharging the latest codex as a way of selling boxes of the latest minis.

2. Prices: GW is an expensive hobby to get into. I was in GW once and some kid came in with his granny and he wanted to get into it. The sales guy said 'well, you need Black Reach for 50 quid, basic paints and brushes for another 10-20, clippers for 7 etc etc etc'. His Gran said 'have you got any magazines he can have for free?' lol. The good thing is that you can buy (variable quality) minis off ebay, or new from resellers at a discount.

3. Support for Lord of the Rings SBG: It's a real shame that, now that War of the Ring has come along, GW aren't (according to the rumours) going to support the SBG any more. Of course, it makes more business sense to support WoTR (SBG 500pt games = not many minis sold but 5,000pt WoTR games = LOTS of minis sold), but, for my money, WoTR is a poor gaming system, aimed at uber-powergamers.

4. Bitz: One of the major barriers for me getting into conversion is the lack of bitz available. Unless I am going to buy job lots on ebay and try it's impossible. I recently wanted to try and make a Vulkan He'Stan conversion until I realised that it was cheaper to buy the mini than buy 4-5 different ones for the conversion pieces. I can't see the problem of GW stores stocking bitz that you can by individually for conversion. They don't like the idea of fans using bitz from other companies in their conversions, but often this is the only way

5. A 40K Film: I would also add that they need to get their act together and either make a 40K film or at the least remove the ban on the Damnatus fanfilm being released.

6. Rewarding Loyalty: GW need to also have some way of rewarding those who purchase from stores regularly. If I buy, for example, from Maelstrom Games online, I get the minis cheaper (10-15%), free delivery and money back towards future purchases. If I buy online from GW I get free postage if I'm lucky, and the stock is at the same price as the store. If I buy in the store I get nothing. I'm willing to stand corrected on this, but GW is perhaps the only store that I know of that doesn't have seasonal sales, 2 for 1 offers etc. The nearest we get with them is battleforces. Again, it reeks of bleeding the fanboys dry.

That's just my two-penneth...

Fan Studies and W40K/GW Related: More Thoughts on Canon

The more I think about it, the more I think that what I'm terming 'The Gaming System' is the GW/40K equivalent of the canon within fan studies discussions. As per the last post, I'm including in this three inter-related elements, all of which are copyrighted under Games Workshop's IP Policy (Rules, Background/fluff, and miniatures), and which provide a standard frame of reference and resources for fan creativity.

This allows comparison between GW fandom and other forms of fandom, such as for example the ways in which fans appropriate images, sound and footage to produce their own fanvids/films. It also provides a useful starting point for examining the various tensions may occur between what fans want to do and what rights holders would prefer them not to do.

To give some examples, taken from the clearly titled What you can and can't do with Games Workshop's intellectual property page from GW's site. Fans are asked:

1. Not to "Create, distribute, or use any material that is not consistent with the functionality, atmosphere, and parameters of the Warhammer universe as created and owned by Games Workshop". This is similar to the situation in the early-1980s where Lucasfilm began to take a very dim view of various erotic stories that were circulating among fans. One of the key themes in fan studies is the ways in which fans can appropriate content and (rightly or wrongly) take it in directions completely away from where te rightsholders would prefer it to be (i.e. re-reading Star Trek as homosexual relationship between Kirk and Spock)

2. "Please don't use one of our registered trademarks as part of your web domain name. This right is reserved for GW companies and formal licensees only."

3. "While we are likely to be happy for you to create your own desktop themes based upon our IP, please do not use our trademarks in those themes. In other words, do not use our logos and symbols, but please do draw your own version of a Wood Elf or Tyranid."

4. "We encourage fellow hobbyists to show off their painting skills by taking photos of their miniatures and putting the on the site. Please remember to correctly credit the IP - "miniature © Games Workshop 2003. All rights reserved. Used without permission - model painted by xxxxxxx""

5. Fan Fiction: "Please remember to use the correct trademark disclaimer somewhere on your site, zip file and/or document. We would also ask that at the top of the material you state something equivalent to the following: "Death Ravine" an unofficial story by K. Roundtree derived, without permission, upon the Warhammer intellectual property owned by Games Workshop Ltd.". This cannot be sold, though: "We cannot allow users to make and or sell derivatives of our copyright protected material or our trademarks on the café press or any similar websites."

6. Fan-created Rules Supplements etc: "There is no need to stick precisely to the published rules. However, if you are thinking about making your own Codex for your Space Marine chapter (in addition to following the other guidelines in this policy), please avoid making it look official as this may confuse gamers and amount to a challenge to our trademarks. Also, do not copy our official publications or documents."

7. Conversions: "Please do not combine our intellectual properties with IP owned by any third parties.". See the discussion over on Santa Cruz Warhammer's blog on this

8. A blanket ban on all fanfilms: ".... due to the nuances of the law in some territories, we cannot allow any unlicensed movies to be created which are based upon our intellectual property."

9. web comics: "We would probably not take issue with anyone creating a web comic based upon our intellectual property - but as with forums, keep in mind that the hobby is for people of all ages. Please be careful of the language used and the topics discussed. We would strongly recommend that you avoid any topics concerning illegal behavior, obscenity, or libel."

10. fonts: "Unfortunately, GW cannot allow third parties to use our trademarks without properly crediting our ownership, lest they be damaged. With fonts, it is difficult, if not impossible, to use the marks and credit Games Workshop as rightful owners. Accordingly, do not use our IP in relation to fonts."

11. screensavers "As is the case with fonts, GW cannot allow third parties to use our trademarks without properly crediting our ownership, lest they be damaged. You may only create screen savers if it properly credits our IP. We would also remind you that you cannot alter or change our trademarks in any way."

12.animations: "We would probably not have a problem with anyone creating animations based upon our intellectual property - as long as there is no commercial connection to that creation. Again, please be careful of the language used and the topics discussed."

13. fanzines: "...if you are thinking about starting a fanzine, please do not use our trademarks... Importantly, if you are creating a solely GW-focused fanzine, do not sell your fanzine and do not obtain any sponsorship."

14. avatars: "If you want to use avatars and similar monikers, create them yourself and credit the origins of the IP in your message sign off."

15: Tattoos: "we cannot allow tattoos as an acceptable use of our IP as a third party necessarily has to perform the 'service'"