Games Workshops classic Realms of Chaos ‘Slaves to darkness’ to be re-printed and released

One is aware one does not usually do GW partly out of the fact they have a massive PR engine and usually what one catches is in a private concept, journalism arguments aside. However, this one came via other sources so running with it. (please don’t sue)

See image of RoC SD bottom left

Games Workshop it seems is again moving in interesting times and the new CEO is certainly showing that the company can be moved both forward in new and dynamic ways, yet still keep an emotional hand in the past and never more so that with the surprise reprint of the classic Rogue Trader WH40k, yet it seems that this was just the start and in what is expected to be very exciting news will soon join it the ever darkly exquisitely written Realms of Chaos ‘Slave to darkness.’ The book that brought Chaos to the minds of impressionable 80’s teenagers and to be thought of as a game changer in how tabletop gaming could be away from the historical crowds. It less set the stage and more set the stage on fire in being one of a pair of books that grognards now everywhere felt were the most interesting books that GW ever produced. (And bemoaning the sudden price drop and value of their copies, .Ed)

Slaves to Darkness featured extensive detailed descriptions of the gods Khorne and Slaanesh, complete with a pantheon of their Daemons, rules and background for including these in tabletop battles as demonic armies. It also started to encourage people to not just buy an army but make it your own, to buy other miniatures so you could take them apart and create custom conversions, and provide what was many a teenagers life for many moons the basic idea of Chaos warbands and build your own adventures and backgrounds with them.

Realm of Chaos ‘Slaves to Darkness’

It also introduced the Imperium’s Daemonhunters of the Ordo Malleus and their associated Space Marine chapter – the Grey Knights. The book provided a nice balance in what it offered.

The volume is also notable for its having a solid coherant narriative foundation for the Horus Heresy, an event which while mentioned in Rogue Trader was as then more of a background flavour to the epic galaxy-spanning battles taking place. RoC explained what that flavour was, it locked the Horus Heresy firmly into the midns of the gamers and established the role of Chaos and the demon influence in the GW40k – SF universe

And provides the link between the Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 worlds; which is explicitly stated in the first pages of the book.

‘It also features rules on the creation of Chaos Champions and their warbands, Daemon weapons, demonic possession and the Horus Heresy of WH40K. To give a flavour of the background and attributes of followers of Chaos it contained material such as a list of over 120 “Chaos Attributes” – mutations that the followers of Chaos were often afflicted by. This included some mutations that were advantageous, such as those that made the mutant extra strong or taller and those that confer a disadvantage, such as ones that made the mutant small, weak or stupid. Other mutations were purely cosmetic, such as giving the mutant brightly coloured skin or eyes on stalks, whilst some mutations were clearly comical, such as one that gave the mutant a silly walk (possibly inspired by the Monty Python sketch The Ministry of Silly Walks) and even a mutation that bestowed the “gift” of uncontrollable flatulence.’ Quote Wikipedia 

written by Rick Priestley, Bryan Ansell,‎ Mike Brunton,‎ Simon Forrest, who were already venerable figures in the gaming industry and GW. They were harmonists who took the art of writing by deftly mixing humour with horror as they tackled the big questions of Galaxy spanning concepts and battles, factions and wars, and lay down the groundwork for what is now a major part of many peoples lives. What the writers brought was an analytical mind, combined with raw creativity and a collection of artists with keen aesthetic insights and an ability to understand the writers’ analytical minds and transcribe them into art that was both raw and somehow right for the book.

It is good to see such older works being released and providing a newer generation with a taste of what was a mind altering experience for those dark and early days of gaming, and one can only hope that they continue with the release of Realms of Chaos – ‘Lost and the Dammed.’

GW & Ninja Division Licence Deal–Latest images(2)

In what has been seen as a sudden flurry of activity by GW with the release of new AoS Generals handbook, BloodBowl, Necromunda and other exciting activities like the Devir Licenses Games Workshop Characters for Wacky Racing Game:  Gretchinz’ is the second surprise with regards licensing. As GW has just announced a licensing deal with Ninja Division to develop an Interactive Card Game ‘Doom Seeker’ set against the popular background of the Warhammer Fantasy Old World background.

Set in the ‘Warhammer Fantasy’ Old World the game is rumoured to be a Card Game “Current name of Doom Seeker” where the players take the role of a Dwarven Slayer (Think Gotrex Troll Slayer series by William King, Not Buffy Vampire Slayer .Ed) the aim is to die with the most Glory and glorious way. Where everyone is out to fight and slay the biggest and most terrifying monsters, with the one who dies with the most glory winning.
Everything one has heard suggests that this will be a group based game should prove both a fun game and visual feast as its looking to be overseen by Ninja Division’s Co Owner and it’s Creative Director John Cadice. So for those worried about the look and style should be reassured.
However, with GW’s tendency towards protecting its core product it is very unlikely (to impossible) that we will see Chibi Dwarf Slayers unless they go with a  Kickstarter or release exclusive model.
This will be a self-contained game and according to rumours going to contain everything needed to play. Inc, Game cards, dice and tokens (Probably thick  Card stock,) and a retail price of around £22 to £27.
Release date is expected Mid Spring 2018


So after this interesting little tibbit from last months Necromunda ,

 

So exciting times for Games Workshop in the release of Necromunda; And even better not a re-release of the old system but a newer developed system designed around a sleeker WH40k.
If you’re new to Miniature Gaming you may not be familiar with Necromunda, except as tales of the Glory days, often reminisced on by gronards and Oldhammer gamers, well it was a favourite  with many in the gaming community as it was a way to take a gang of misfits and both progress theme through a game and develop their story as they fought or died in the dark underbelly of the Hive worlds. It allowed players to dive into the underworld of the Imperium, allowing players to control their own Hive Gang augmented with black market cybernetics, gene modifications and scavenged or stolen weaponry. And while WH40k places you in the macro scale of General of a vast army Necromunda goes the other way with a microscale approach of Gang leader, looking out for gang members.
According to sources at the Forge World Open Day, Andy Hoare believes, “They’re absolutely nailing it in terms of how to keep all the great stuff, yet adding to the new system and in order to bring in new things, like Hive Secondus, The Ash Wastes, new gangs.
And,
 
“We’re broadly looking at a game based on the 8th Edition 40k mechanics, but tailored to a form of skirmish warfare. We’ll see the addition of Action Points, which will be used to active gang members (in a similar way to how Space Hulk works). Different actions will cost different points, for example activating a Heavy Class Ganger will cost 2 Action Points, however, a basic Juve Ganger will cost only one.
 
We’ll be looking at a release schedule very  much like BloodBlowl, this see a,
‘Preview’, launch of the initial box set. Like BloodBowl it will be a self-contained box with steady releases.
 
The box itself will contain the Escher and Goliath gangers which have been seen already, the rules, game accessories and terrain either similar to or most likely Shadow War terrain as the Specialist Games studio do not have the resources to produce terrain solely for Necromunda, so they are trail blazing the Shadow War release with all the cool terrain that was released with that boxed set.
(This does highlight the small nature of the specialist Games team and the explanation to the cries of why not release X,Y,Z sooner) and subsequently in individual kits until present. The rules will allow for play in the way players are used to on gangways, ramps and gantries, but also in tunnels making use of the Zone Mortalis tiles available from Forge World.
 
We will see all the gangs from Hive Primus (See Below) return, along with the gangs from Outlanders and Fanatic. We will also see new gangs and some expansion of the fluff on Necromunda.
HIVE SECONDUS was written about in the Fanatic days, a Hive terrorised,  overrunning with an established Genstealer cult, subsequently nuked by the Necromunda Defence Forces to rid the planet of the infestation. However, the Hive topples on its side with most of the Cultists surviving. This results in the Defence Forces building a large trench system in the surrounding Ash Wastes to isolate the remains of the Hive from the rest of the planet.
Even better it was hinted “We will be visiting this intriguing story in the future!”
Keep your eyes on Warhammer Community for all the latest news and previews.
More Pics coming shortly.

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