Mantic looking promising? New Rule Book out soon, free army books

GW Killed WHFB, Mantic Rejoices

Nobody stands to gain more out of GWs decision to  torpedo and sink WHFB than Mantic:

Their unit block based wargame seems the likely contender for most of those who seek an alternative classic style fantasy wargame. Their basic rules are free and read like a more basic form of WHFB. Some names and facts have been changed to protect the innocent. Whilst most of their models don't quite meet up to the standard of GW's, they are probably a little closer to true 28mm than those sold for WHFB by GW. I think they are probably closer to 32mm.

Their designs are quite nice, particularly the undead zombies and ghouls, but the rest look rather scrawny when in the company of GW figures. Then again, so do my older 3rd and 4th Ed GW figures.

Unlike earlier contenders copiers and pretenders to GW's throne, mantic has the advantage of the internet and the current level of rage against the machine that killed WHFB. (Of those previous pretenders I liked Chronopia best)

“Many converts have found themselves won over by a mixture of solid game play, straight-forward but elegant mechanics, and an approach to development that plainly puts the player first.” - Rick Priestly 2015

Anyhow, here is the link to all the free MANTIC STUFF

(and free shipping worldwide if you buy more then $75 (Presumably US)

The 2nd Ed Rulebook is out in August and sells for $40

Mighty Ape is the local stockist.

Age of Sigmar Leaks, Mantic lodges intellectual property suit

First Leaked Age of Sigmar (AoS) Pics: Pandora Opens the Box to see Inside....

Ok, so the first pics of Aos are setting the Interweb thingy alight. Someone snuck a few snaps from the next White Dwarf:

My impressions and thoughts:

1. Round and oval bases as rumoured...
2. Space Marines !
3. In fact, rehashed Blood Angels !
4. Warhammer Age of Reckoning  level 40 KOTBS (Knight of the Blazing Sun)
5. Mantic Eloim...hmm intellectual property stoush coming?
6. Warmachine
7. Retro-looking logo

Tying in model aesthetic with the fluff and rumours? The coming of Sigmar after the End Times? Clearly not predating the (now defunct) Warhammer World as we knew it.

Mounted hero on monstrous mount/warbeast (tic) 

Probable combined statline (tic?) No musicians and standard bearers (tic) 

Heavy armoured Roman looking  foot soldiers x 10 (tic) Roman looking shields (tic) Female champion (no tic) 

Looks like we still have BSB. Probably combined w magic caster/sigmar blessings 

3 x Heavy hitters/Elites and 3 Fast Cav/Flyer types. 40 K here we come...

The rumour of more ancient looking and primitive force - dispelled with irresistable force. (MEGA un-tic here ) but a special award for the person who penned that particular rumour !

Of the lot I really only realy like the cat on the Cat. Ties in with demigrifs and griffons (Are those models likely to survive then? ) At this point, anyhow, with pretty poor quality pics I still reserve my judgement. The SM aesthetic does not work for me. Sorry. 40 K never was my game.

Then to Chaos: So Chaos seems to remain Chaos. Maybe not as be know it. 

(Ho-hum?) CSM look. Aesthetic pretty much unchanged. 

1. Bigger, meaner WoC and Marauders - Rumour accurate there. (tic) 
2. No Bloodthirster, (un-tic) but a similar looking Temple Dog/Maulerfiend thing on a LOTR sized Monster base
3. Abaddon and his mean puppy (?) on large base, 
4. 2 x 10 Units of Marauder types (tic rumour) with Muscians and Standard bearers
5. again a BSB/Caster/Psyker rolled into one (?) 
6. 5 Elites (Chosen types? - tic  ) and
7.  another ? Character on foot, or could it be a handler for the monster ?  

Mantic must be pleased about all of this

 

Shouldn't have sold those Blood Angels!