Epic Rules Officially Updated!

[Morat]

GW have finally posted Epic's agreed upon updated ruleset on the Specialist game site with a disappointing lack of fanfare (you'd have thought it merited at least a line in "new today" or some such. Should be a boon for new players as they'll not have to faff about with errata documents or worrying about which rules to use.

Still leaves plenty of indecision about which army lists are right/balanced/overpowered/in the wrong font etc though.

It's to be found on the GW site under Specialist Games/Epic Armageddon/Epic Armageddon Resources and is split into 4 parts.

Thought I'd let the esteemed Gr00v3r break this one, but he's clearly saving orphans from a burning school right now.

[Jack_Hammer]

Just my opinion here but i think this might be a case of the game community being well ahead of GW.

GW was captain of the ship and they bailed.. now the community does a superb job of running the ship and GW wants to still give orders?

I for one could care less what GW presents rules wise since the community has done a fantastic job of this already good luck getting me to ditch the epic compendium rules set

After a quick review of the update its appears they have simply implemented the very updates that are already being used by the epic compendium and epic handbook.

I will be a bit positive and say its good too see this happen with a "dead game", but why now?

[Morat]

Well you -should- be positive, as the update was indeed entirely the work of the community, who handed it to Jervis, who said he'd put it up to help disseminate it better.

Took an age doing it (I'm guessing as they needed it translating for those in countries that are "abroard"), but better late than never.

Plus the community doing the donkey work is what Epic Armageddon has been about as a project. It's delivered us a game as good as it is and now keeps itself updated in a reasonable manner. Can't help feeling it -was- less fractured and easier to follow when it had an Uberfuhrer in the form of Jervis though. Anarcho-syndicalist gaming communes may be fun, but good old dictatorships make the buses (and indeed updates) run on time.

[Chris]

Yes sadly the Epic world has fractured a lot with separate rules coming out in the UK, France and the rest (as the three groupings).

There is one error apparently, ork stats being cut and paste into the grotz unit.

Well you -should- be positive, as the update was indeed entirely the work of the community, who handed it to Jervis, who said he'd put it up to help disseminate it better.

Took an age doing it (I'm guessing as they needed it translating for those in countries that are "abroard"), but better late than never.

Plus the community doing the donkey work is what Epic Armageddon has been about as a project. It's delivered us a game as good as it is and now keeps itself updated in a reasonable manner. Can't help feeling it -was- less fractured and easier to follow when it had an Uberfuhrer in the form of Jervis though. Anarcho-syndicalist gaming communes may be fun, but good old dictatorships make the buses (and indeed updates) run on time.

[vayasen]

You know what, I used to LOVE epic back in the day when it came out (2nd edition).

I recently got the urge to spend a fortune on Ebay and have bought and painted 4 armies so far and I am playing the old 2nd edition rules. I LOVE the game....I think its superb and I havnt even glanced at the Netepic / armageddon rules.

Why has GW shelved this? surely it has immense potential????

Do you guys think im missing out by playing the old 2nd edition rules (guys on square bases). I love the rules and think they make a great game....but Im happy to listne to advice.

Any chance of GW re releasing Epic at any point you reckon?

[Gotthammer]

Why has GW shelved this? surely it has immense potential????

Do you guys think im missing out by playing the old 2nd edition rules (guys on square bases). I love the rules and think they make a great game....but Im happy to listne to advice.

Any chance of GW re releasing Epic at any point you reckon?

Epic 40,000 killed the system as a core game. It was so radically different from 2nd Ed it alienated a huge number of existing 1/300th gamers and watered down the complexity of the game too much to differentiate it from 40k (still 2nd ed at the time). It was then relegated to Specialist Games Hell, so the now much improved system will never really recover.

Also only keeping 28mm scale in the stores means people only need to learn one style of painting to cross over into another game (painting Brettonians is like hereldric Marines for an example). 6mm also intimidates people who think the scale is 'impossible' to paint at.
Needing different terrain boards that are unusable in the 28mm core games and very little chance of a cross over sale for conversions also add nails to the Epic-in-stores coffin unfortunately (also a big pity, as I really prefer making epic scale terrain, much easier to create crazy things). The minis have a much smaller visual impact unless it's a fully painted army too - compare Epic Baneblade to 40k Baneblade.

Which leads on to Apocalypse taking a section of the available market segment away from any full blown Epic release: the guys who like big tanks and such, but are too cheap to spring for a second army (it's easier to sell one 40k Leman Russ squadron than six Epic to a guy with an existing 40k IG army I'd wager).

Prettymuch all this combined means GW is unlikely to support the 1/300th ranges like Epic and Warmaster (and Forgeworlds Aeronautica Imperialis), which is a shame as they are some of their best wargames. I've got a Guard armoured company and heaps of titans, but nobody to play against. Luckily a number of people play Aeronautica, so I can still get my 1/300th fix

[vayasen]

Thanks for the info Gott.

Just to touch on one of my questions again though....would you consider that im missing out by playing the old Space Marine Rules?

The version I have is the game as I first encountered it. It is called 'space marine' Epic Battles in the war torn Universe of the 42st Millenium.

By Jervis Johnson & Rick Preistly.


Is this the version that is considered 'watered down' ?

I love it....but its all I know in terms of epic and I am willing to try other systes/versions if they are much better (possibly).


I really do love the game and I seem to have a few friends lined up to play (using my armies) that ive collected and painted like a madman over the last two months.....but am I missing out by not playin g'epic armageddon' rules for example?


Thanks again for ay advice.

[Mephiston]

Your playing what most consider Space Marine 2nd edition. Epic 40K was third and epic Armageddon is 4th.

Personally I think that Epic A is the best version of the game as a tactical challenge, but the rules are very different to 2nd ed.

If you looking for a more up to date 2nd ed then netepic is the place to go. As both are free downloads from the web have a look and chose what works best for you.

If your looking for tournaments to play then Epic A is the option as I don't remember seeing any other forms of Epic offered at any events.

[vayasen]

Thanks for the info.

At least I dont feel 'guilty' now that im playing the dumbed down version as its called (Epic 40k....3rd ed).

I cant see anybody saying that im crazy for playing this 2nd ed. version...so considering that I enjoy it and that I have spent quite a bit of money on ebay for rulebooks/army books etc, I will stick with it....at least for now.

Thanks again all.

[Chris]

Gott I thought there were a lot of epic Sydney players? There is even a tourny coming up there I believe.