WFB 9th Edition Rumor Roundup

[Erik Setzer]

Just makes sense, really.

Though I imagine they're still going to seriously change the world and factions.

[Mr Mystery]

Don't see why they would.

If you're rebooting, as well as going after new blood, you're looking to tempt back old blood. Scrapping armies is not how you go about that.

[Erik Setzer]

Not saying they'd scrap armies. But changing the map so it's not "Fantasy Earth" and changing some of the factions' aesthetic makes sense. Dark Elves and High Elves can be merged without much loss, and then they don't have to produce and sell two units of Elf Spearmen, Elf double-handed swordsmen, Elf halberd guards, etc. But just because they switch to only selling one type of Elf [whatever] unit doesn't mean you can't keep using the models for the other type.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

I do imagine there's going to be some form of shakeup. Not "scrapping" things (at least, not without replacement!) but reconfiguring the world and the factions seems likely.

[grimmas]

I'd say we are looking at streamlining rather than scraping we could definitely see some units vanish but not necessarily whole faction. We can't ignore that the combining of factions in the End times lists could well be harbinger of things to come. A thought did occur to me they could probably release combined factions sets with for example a sprue of each flavour of elf spear wielder. Although I haven't bought the new Eternal guard/wildwood Rangers they may not be cut to allow that ( not a rumour just something that popped into my mind). In my mind the combining of factions seems most plausible of all the rumours

GW has always worked on the premise that the majority its customer base changes every 5 years, it might be less about tempting old custom back or even keeping current custom ( there always a glut of rage quitters every new edition) but more about get a whole new set of people playing sorry collecting WFB. The rumours of an integral skirmish game do seem to point to getting new people in by providing an easy to achieve entry point.

[Wildeybeast]

Not saying they'd scrap armies. But changing the map so it's not "Fantasy Earth" and changing some of the factions' aesthetic makes sense. Dark Elves and High Elves can be merged without much loss, and then they don't have to produce and sell two units of Elf Spearmen, Elf double-handed swordsmen, Elf halberd guards, etc. But just because they switch to only selling one type of Elf [whatever] unit doesn't mean you can't keep using the models for the other type.

If you are GW, why would you do that? They already have the mould, it isn't really costing anything to keep that now and why sell one kit when you can sell two different ones? I can see the background getting a shake up (End Times has already proved that is happening) and a separate skirmish game, but I honestly cannot see any sensible business reason for getting rid of races or scrapping existing plastic models.

[Kirsten]

pretty much yeah, the cost has already been incurred to make them. I could definitely see a lot of it going direct only, save a lot of shelf space in stores. When I was at Uni and friends with a store manager he was telling me the stores had a lot of excess stock recalled, and their stock levels changed. no point stocking four bloodthirsters at a time for example, send three back, keep one in at any given time, save the space for core stuff people bought a lot of. that shake up was what funded the apocalypse kits like the baneblade and stompa.

doing the same again with fantasy could make them more money in stores by stocking what people want most.

[Erik Setzer]

If you are GW, why would you do that? They already have the mould, it isn't really costing anything to keep that now and why sell one kit when you can sell two different ones? I can see the background getting a shake up (End Times has already proved that is happening) and a separate skirmish game, but I honestly cannot see any sensible business reason for getting rid of races or scrapping existing plastic models.

Well, skipping that GW doesn't do things that make business sense, it *could* make sense to remove duplicate units. Yeah, the cost of the mold has already been incurred. But then it becomes a question of whether they've gotten that back, and if they have, what's the end profit when you're taking into account that you have to have warehouse space at least taken up by units that are duplicated within the same force? We also don't know sales figures, one of the two versions of the unit might not be selling as well. Right now, you have Swordmasters and Executioners, much the same unit. Swordmasters are still rocking an old cast and are resin. Why not drop that, save those costs, and just roll with the Executions for the two-handed-sword Elves? There's a lot of factors involved. If the sales numbers don't justify the duplication, then the cost of keeping stock in a warehouse would be more justification to drop the one that isn't selling as well or doesn't have as high a profit margin.

That's all speculation, of course. No clue if they're really merging the Elves. Just saying that if they did, it'd make sense to drop some duplicated stuff.

[Wildeybeast]

Well, if they were merging Elves, then possibly it could make sense to drop certain duplicate units. Equally, it could make as much sense to keep them and give people choice, especially if they give them different stat lines and rules. Like you said it depends on what they do with the rules and races and what they underlying figures are.

[Trojan66]

Guys I am off . I thought this was an open forum with participants interested in what our game will be looking like in the future, just remember to look back at my posts when it lands will you and then re read Mr mystery s liar post...just do that and then see who was right. Have fun guys...I am sure most of you are cool hobbyists...