"40K Turns 25!" Topic

The latest WD just commemorated the 25th anniversary of this game of gothic warfare in the 41st millenium. Hard to believe it's been that long since Rogue Trader was released. GW will be releasing a limited figure of the Crimson Fist captain on the Rogue Trader cover, you know, the one holding the decapitated ork head.

I remember I was a teenager working at a movie theater at the time and a fellow usher painted up some RTB01 Mk VI beakie marines to show me and some other guys. We were hooked and ended up buying beakies ourselves. Though I didn't start playing 40K until 2nd edition, when it moved away from its roleplaying roots and became a true table-top miniature wargame.

Wish it would return to when it was 5 far better game back then.

I saw that issue in the store today and at first I thought they were re-releasing Rogue Trader. That would be too good to be true. I've still got my old one but it would be cool if the new ed. was a throwback.

Arg, I feel old…

Seems like yesterday.

Maybe they'll release an Anniversary Edition of Rogue Trader similar to what they did with Space Hulk?

I'd buy that.

I remember buying the book just after realese along with the metal ork raiders box, some extra ork blisters and the orginal plastic SM box set. About 30 metal and 30 plastic miniatures plus a hardback rule book for £35.00 GBP of my birthday money (those were the days).

Me and my school mates played it non stop for months after that. I'm just about to start using the 1st edition rules for my post apocalyptic skirmish game project.

seems longer too me. boy, i wish i could go back and talk to that younger version of myself…

I didn't get involved until 2nd edition but always really liked that picture. I'll probably buy the 25th anniversary marine even though it is finecast and $33. USD It is a pretty cool model.

33 dollars for a resin 28mm figure? Even I think this is insane.

Not to GW.

Since it is Finecast Resin I want nothing to do with it.

Plus for $33 USD dollars I would rather go onto Ebay and buy stuff.

I know that I would end up if more than one figure.

GB£20…*choke*… I'm not sure its even that good a rendering of the marine in the picture. I'm not sure whats worse the fact that put that price tag on it or that they know there are fanboys out there who will pay it…

GB£20 in 1987 – 30 marines and a 3-pack of Rhinos. In other words, an entire starter army.

GB£20 in 2012 – 1 marine.

I guess we know the true "price" of success.

-Chris K.

Got my first set of Marines back in 1988 it took a bit of time after that since I was shipped off to Korea for another tour there.

But by the mid 1990's I had three Warhammer Fantasy Battle Armies, Eldar, Eldar Harliquins & Dark Angels for Warhammer 40K and Eldar, Space Marine armies for EPIC 40K.

If today prices I would be lucky if I had one army.

GB£20 in 1987 – 30 marines and a 3-pack of Rhinos. In other words, an entire starter army.

£130.50 GBP today (I think you might get free shipping on that)!

Still like RT, for all the clunkiness, but prefer the direction they took in early to mid-90's when they filled out the background a bit more. Got more 'Gothic' and developed a bit more of its own character loosing some of the initial crude Mad Max in space/Dune/Laserburn fluff pastiche.

I'm still waiting for

If only to see if GW has the stones to charge GB£20 for a packet of ping-pong balls….

Yeah, but the ping pong balls would be "Finecrap", and would probably be $50 USD USD for a 5-pack, requiring you to buy at least 2 for a full squad!

Price already noted to today's inflationary adjustments. That is $206 USD in American bucks. Let's see:

3 Rhinos at $35 USD each is $105 USD
3 boxes of 10 Marines at $35 USD each is $105 USD

So the total would be $210 USD today. Damn, they are screwing us for $6 USD extra!!

The last I saw on an auction earlier today of 30 original beakies in the box, it was over $ 200+. Shoulda bookmarked it to see what the final tally was. Glad I bought mine way back when for 30…. ;-)

UK inflation between 1987 and 2010 pushes GB£20 up to ~GB£43.

Like others here I got Rogue Trader when it came out. I bought the RTB01's and one of my friends bought Orks. That said, I have the fondest memories of using cardboard counters to play RT, using infantry and vehicles we designed ourselves, over one very long wet summer holiday. Fun times. :)

2nd edition didn't do it for me, it was too much line up and shoot, and 3rd edition drove me completely away from the system with it's rock, paper, scissors everybody run into close combat gameplay.

I've still got all of my SM RT era models and vehicles (and all of the books apart from the Ork army books) but I regret selling my Robots and plastic Imperial Guard from that era. :(

I remember working a few weeks at my first summer job to get enough cash to buy the 2nd edition 40k boxed set. Man, talk about a rush of imagination! That box, and the rulebooks and fluff contained within, fueled my imagination for years! I had never been exposed to such a unique and well-conceived sci-fi universe.

Granted, I don't play 40k today and am pretty critical of GW's games. But that original box was the harbinger of my participation in the minis hobby, and I'll always think of it fondly.

I had lots of the plastic Orcs when they were released, They were were wacky back then. I wish I still had my Orc Nobs (the ones with power armor)

I loved the RT rulebook, the figures and the look/feel/vibe of the game back then. Now it's just warhammer in space, clunky, the newer figures aren't always as good – EG Marines, waaay too cluttered with stupid pointless detail now compared to the clean look of the RT beakies.
Strangely enough, in 25 years they have never once produced a Marine close to the fluff – they should tower over IG, yet the figures are the same size. 'Nids were seperate from genestealers then (who cam from Yrmgal) and could not be psychic. 'Stealers laid eggs in their victim that burst out their chest when hatched (hmm, even back then they were taking other peoples ideas). IG has speeders, jetbikes, hoverboards, jump packs, assault troops, beastmen, SQUATS. Eldar were pirates and mercenaries. Orks were vicious pirates. You could have pirate armies using troops from more than one race. Zoats, Slann, Jokaero (now back) existed. CHAOS didn't – but you did have warp creatures.
Gah, I am going back to re-read the rulebook again and forget what 40k has become :-(

As much as people complain about GW prices, you have to admit it brought a lot of gamers into the hobby. I don't play it any more for many of the reasons you have already said but I think it is a good Gateway drug for younger players. They get hook and then hopefully they find, cheaper and better games and game systems to play that are way more fun.

Moe

Yes but that was 15-25 years ago when their prices were reasonable.

Come on $33 USD for one Finecast Resin model when back then you could nearly 30 metal figures for that much.

That is not inflation but plain robbery and there will be individuals who will just let themselves be robbed.