I'd like to share some recent favorites from the email bag. This one just came in today:
| Sick of GW prices
DIE GAMESWORKSHOP DIE!!!!! DIE GAMESWORKSHOP DIE!!!!! DIE GAMESWORKSHOP DIE!!!!! DIE GAMESWORKSHOP DIE!!!!! DIE GAMESWORKSHOP DIE!!!!! DIE GAMESWORKSHOP DIE!!!!! |
Perhaps this would be a good moment to point out that 
is not - repeat, not - anti-Games Workshop. Nor are we pro-Games Workshop. Our position is neutral.
Do I, personally, hate Games Workshop or bear some kind of grudge against them? As some of you know, I make computer games for a living. I couldn't mention this at the time (for obvious reasons), but about a year ago I was negotiating for the rights to Gorkamorka on behalf of a major software company. I worked closely with GW executives at that time, and have hopes of negotiating with them for future software projects. No, I don't hate GW.
We've been printing a lot of anti-GW comments lately on our Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 pages, but that's simply because that's what you're sending us. We're not screening the comments, or holding back any wave of pro-GW email. We've printed every comment received.
On a similar note, we've been having the Vote For Your Favorite Fantasy Rules recently. Like everyone else, we expected Warhammer Fantasy to get the majority of the votes, as it is "common knowledge" that most fantasy gamers play WHFB. Yet the reality has been something else altogether. As of this moment, WHFB has less than 4% of the total vote. Why is this happening? To some degree, I'm sure it's because fans of the rival games have been able to get the vote out... but I'm perplexed why the GW fans haven't equally shown themselves.
Perhaps it is because we're not strictly a GW-focused website. I received the following communication yesterday, from one reader who feels we're not giving enough coverage to his favorite game:
SUBJECT: Laziness...If you're going to start a webpage, maintain it, or don't start one at all. I know why your page sucks. You're the wannabe editor (if you even dare call yourself an editor) of a true miniatures publication. But don't worry Bill, someday you may be employed and have a life. Then you'll actually know what is going on, and be able to write a few articles once in awhile...meaning all your 40k material is pretty much worthless. |
Ignoring his tone, the guy has a point - we're not the best site on the web for 40k. Our mission is to cover the entire field, which means we may not be the perfect site for any specific game. I'll admit we don't cover GW particularly well. That publisher isn't willing to send us review copies, and I can't afford to spend my tiny editorial budget picking up GW rules and figures. When we don't have review copies, it's pretty hard for us to tell you anything about the games, or illustrate our articles, or help resolve rules problems. We cover GW as well as we can. Meanwhile, other sites cater specifically to GW, and you can find links to them from here.
One of our readers was curious enough to ask Games Workshop what they thought of all the "bad press" they were getting. Here is the email (and the reply):
| Robert Laplante |
|---|
Hi !!! As a long time player of WH40K, Epic and WHFB, I would like to know what Games Workshop thinks about all the comments made by players on the web in the excellent web magazine, The Miniatures Page. |
| Hal J. Neat, Games Workshop USA Customer Service |
|---|
| We have not really looked at it. |
Interesting...
Last year, we asked what folks wanted to see under the tree for Christmas. Here's some of the best of what we heard:
| MSW |
|---|
| I was thinking of ordering Easy Eight Battleground WWII miniatures. It's all a question of finances, or so the wife says... |
| Todd Mason |
| Unfortunately, I am moving interstate over xmas, so I will not really be
getting into anything much.
I have selected some Wargames Foundry late roman/romano british (25mm) figures to paint, if I should get the chance, but I am not expecting success in this area. I have also purchased a set of painted 25mm US cavalry and plains indians as a sort of xmas present to myself - I think I can get them boxed with my other stuff without the other half being the wiser - then they will just show up at the new place as another box of toys... |
| Chris Brantley |
| This year I'm sticking with old favorites: I'm going to buy myself an Early
Saxon DBA army, and some alternative foot for my
Pict DBA army to complete my
Dark Ages in Britain set.
Perhaps more interesting is what I plan to give as a gift to a good friend and fellow wargamer who usually receives a book. This past year, he has gotten himself into WWII skirmish level gaming (after receiving a dose of Battleground WWII rules at Historicon). He has acquired dozens of HO-scale armour kits and figures that he is still in the process of putting together. He doesn't know it yet, but I've been scratchbuilding terrain for him for the past month, including hedgerows, pillboxes, ruins, and shell holes using cardboard, gap filler, toothpicks, and various and sundry scrap items, as well as techniques outlined on-line at Terragenesis and in the Games Workshop book, How to Make Wargames Terrain. I'm sure he will be pleased, but I can also say that building good-looking terrain is every bit as fun as putting a good paint job on an army. |
| Mark Serafin |
| My annual Christmas present to myself (to distinguish it from all the
other gifts I buy myself) is going to be 2nd edition Warzone. The first
edition was a fun shoot-em up, and I'm hoping the 2nd will be better.
At least, it gives me an excuse to take a break from 15mm WWII and paint
some 25mm stuff.
Oh hell, that's just an excuse. I'm buying it because I want it. |
| Andy Skinner |
| I'm starting way too many projects now.
Blood Bowl: My family has started a league. I've finished painting my human team, and am working on my son's Orcs. I've ordered a Skaven team for my wife (at her request). Romantic Christmas present, huh? A bunch of mutant Rats. Maybe I'll give her a Rat Ogre for Valentine's Day. 15mm Fantasy: I bought a good-sized army of Black Raven Foundry and Reaper Undead. I've asked my wife for some historical Khmer figures for Christmas, and imagine I'll use these together, strange as it sounds. (She's Cambodian, thus the interest in Khmer.) Epic 40K: I'm trying to get hold of some of the old support weapons. They never made any for the new line. I also found a cache of cheap Ogre minis, which I'll throw into Epic 40K sometime. Rules: I'd like to get Piquet Scramasax when it comes out, hopefully this month. |
| Comments or corrections? |