The Good Stuff:
New rules for Vampire Counts, Part 1 of the Sisters of Battle codex, Designer notes on the new Vampire Counts models, the modelling and painting workshop for the Dark Elf Black Dragon.
What’s In There For Painters and Modellers?
A showcase of the Garden of Morr (but with no alternate modelling or painting ideas), the Black Dragon workshop, an ‘Eavy Metal gallery for the Storm of Magic monsters (no painting guides included).
Things I Didn’t Like:
The hobby content felt very shallow, the Black Dragon article is good, but I remember the days when there were articles like that for each new kit on GW.com for free. The ‘Eavy Metal gallery is just the same monsters that were shown over 30 times last issue with superficial comments on various painting details. Printing rules is nice, but they still don’t get the balance right. Very little hobby stuff to chew on. And don’t get my started on the various SoM articles where they want you to convince it is alright to ally High Elves or the Empire with Chaos Demons…
The Verdict:
There is a good amount of text in this issue, and printing official rules is a welcome change of direction and gives the magazine a feel of usefulness. On the other hand, there are still too many filler articles with pictures of the same models over and over again. Cut out some pages here and there, add a real ‘Eavy Metal Masterclass, do a showcase of a nicely painted and converted player army and stop those silly 3500+ battle reports and you would have potential for a very good issue.
6/10, maybe 7/10 if you like new rules
"And don't get me started on the various SoM articles where they want you to convince it is alright to ally High Elves or the Empire with Chaos Demons…" I completely agree…seems silly to me!
This issue has been getting a lot of positive press on blogs because of the return of rules to the White Dwarf, but I like how you're critical of the hobby content. It really shouldn't be that hard for them to get it right. Thanks!
Add-On: If you go to the GW Website and click on the news of the upcoming Games Day you will find exactly(!!) the 4 page from the WD as a commercial for the Games Day. This is ridiculous! Really embarrassing!
Damn, you nailed it! If I would comment on the WD it would be the same comment.
Rules nice, Hobby articles embarrassing. Almost as much information as the back of each GW box.
Only studio armies that we all have seen 1000 times.
And then there is this bulls**t about allied armies in SoM. High elves + demons, wtf? whats next? Lizard Men + Demons + Skaven? Or High Elves + Dark Elves? Orc + Dwarfs… SoM might be nice, but I'm really sick of the same models over and over again. And as you said, who plays 3.5k+ games? SoM is just GW's desperate attempt to sell more stuff. This is laughable!
PS: Since you are also reading the German WD, you probably noticed the heavy bolter that looks like a multi-melta in the rules for the SoB! 🙂
I thought you had canceled your subscription to White Dwarf?