Another month, another issue of White Dwarf. Let’s see what the WD team has come up with this time. At least I can tell you that: If you are into dinosaurs and power armour, this might be the issue for you.
New Releases
40 pages of the latest products from Games Workshop, Forgeworld, Black Libary and licensed games. If you don’t live under a rock, you already noticed that this month marks the release of the new Lizardmen army book along with three new plastic kits and a couple of characters. The colourful Lizardmen have always striked me as odd in a world full of grimdarkness, but I enjoy most of the new releases. I don’t enjoy the double spread with the price list, GW still jack up their prices as much as possible with each new release.
Army of the Month
6 pages dedicated to Jamie Farquhar’s Iron Warriors. A huge army full of details, gruesome trophies and conversions. I really liked the bit when Jamie tells us that each trophy on his models was “earnt” with a victory in a game and that his former opponents always have a laugh when they see their army turned into a trophy on Jamie’s models.
Jervis Johnson
Two pages of Jervis blathering on about how buying Citadel (TM) terrain is as important as buying models for your army and so much more awesome than scratch-built terrain.
Battle Report
It’s Adam commanding a beautiful Lizardmen army painted by the hobby team (available as a 1-click collection for only £524.90 – seriously, if they are wondering what’s wrong with Warhammer Fantasy and why it’s popularity is fading, that’s why – GW, you are pushing too big and expensive armies), facing against Andrew’s Tomb Kings. 20 pages.
Armchair General
Duncan Rhodes shows off his Brets and talks about how he uses them on the battlefield. Wait, Brets? They haven’t appeared in White Dwarf for years. Probably because the models are old and the whole army needs a massive reimagination. Anyways, it’s still more of a chat and army showcase. I would like to see this series turning into a proper tactics article that focusses on a specific army and talks through unit choices and viable strategies. 6 pages.
Battlefield
8 pages of (another) Warhammer World table. It’s a cityfight table, and, surprise, it’s made of bucketloads of Cityfight terrain kits that no sane person would ever be able to affort. Impressive, yes, but I would like to see something that isn’t made from Cityfight buildings for once.
Hall of Heroes
… in a Forgeworld edition, Stuart Williamson nominates Daren Parrwood’s Dark Eldar Tantalus. 2 pages.
Creating Monsters
In this 8 pages spanning feature there is a lenghty interview with sculptors Seb Perbet, Matt Holland and Alex Hedström who are talking about the design of the new Lizardmen models. Nice. I love interviews with the creative people at the design studio. But what a bummer that they mention Seb’s concept art but fail to show it.
War Diary – Armies on Parade 2013
Part three of this ongoing series, 4 pages. Not that spectacular this month, but I like Eddie’s Harlequin jetbikes with riders converted of Dark Eldar Scourges.
Parade Ground
8 pages of 40k units with their dedicated transports. It’s a bit boring that there is only one entry that isn’t power armour – Chris Pitchard’s Wave Serpent and Fire Dragons. But I also enjoy Duncan Rhodes’ Sons of Horus. It’s nice to see some Forgeworld models that aren’t weathered to death but painted in a more classic paint style.
Kit Bash
Yet more power armour, this time of the spiky flavour. 6 pages with 3 converted Chaos Marine units. Okay.
Paint Splatter
The usual 8 pages, divided into 6 pages with rather comprehensive painting guides for all the new Lizardmen models in a solid tabletop painting level, and 2 pages that explain how the scenery from this month’s Battlefield table was painted. Solid.
Jeremy Vetock
Talking about how you can’t do justice to everyone in a gaming group. 2 pages.
Shop list/local news
… business as usual…
This month in…
… White Dwarf: 4 pages with the usual painting and gaming endeavors of the WD staff.
… the design studio: 2 pages of Jeremy Vetock talking about the background of the Lizardmen race, 2 pages of the studio hobby team explaining how they created the paint scheme of the Lizardmen army featured in the battle report, one page about the anatomy of Lizardmen with sculptors Seb and Matt, and finally one page with a nice Triarch Stalker and some Mighty Empire maps found around the studio.
… Forge World: 2 pages of Palatine Blades, a Legion Praetor in Terminator armour and the wrecked Tunderhawk Realm of Battle field.
… Black Library: A 2 page interview with Aaron Dembski-Bowden about his book “Armageddon”.
Something special in this issue?
Nope.
Verdict
So yeah, it’s a solid issue. What you would expect from an issue of White Dwarf nowadays, more of the same basically. In comparison to last month I like that the choice of articles is more diversified, but then I think it’s boring that this issue basically comes down to Lizardmen and power armour. Especially in the Parade Ground and Kit Bash articles I would have liked to see more variety – how about some Tau Pathfinders in a Devilfish or some Trukk Boys for example?
6/10
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I liked the review for the most part, but I disagree with you're opinion that the Bretonnians are in need of a re-imagining.
Yes, their models are old, but they still hold up extremely well to the models being produced today. I wouldn't mind them getting a model update (Actually, I probably would since my wallet would die.) but I think they are currently fine just the way they are.
Anyway, back on topic. I appreciate these reviews, I feel bad about pouring through a magazine in the store just to not buy it and now I can just safely pass the ones that aren't my style.
@ ThirdEyeNuke.. I honestly think they are just backward marine chests, shoulder pads for "cowels", and yeah, heads turned around with putty eyes… interesting & creative use of marines…
@ Garfy – I have to agree, that this White Dwarf felt and read with a bit more substance than the last few issues.. I think the variety of articles, actually interesting tid-bits about design and creation of the lizards, and a mix of armies (if mostly power armored or lizard, although no power-armored-lizards????) was helpful.
I still really feel like the complete lack of tactics, the lack of discussion about what is "new" in the lizards book other than models (and the brief mention of 6's to hit giving extra attacks in the battle report) are what is really missing… I just finished reading the High Elf Releases White Dwarf from a few months back (I'd skipped it b/c wasn't interested in Fantasy at the time) and it had so little information about the "New" High Elves compared to old High Elves… just felt flat… and although this WD seems more interesting to me, it still really doesn't tell anyone anything about the new army… I know they want you to buy the codex/army book, but really, throw us a bone… dinosaur bone even!!!
Anyone know what the model parts are for page 98? I know the heads are marines turned backwards with guitar wire and putty. But not certain about the rest. If you can know let know.
totally stoked about the lizardmen!!! they look awesome, the needed a big boost in variety as far as the models go, but yeah the prices are getting a bit much, but hey thats why we have credit cards, ha!
I'm right with Garfy on this one. The issue was pretty solid. I'm no lizzie fan myself, honestly never cared for them. Still those saurus minis looked pretty cool. Power armor should be a flavor for almost everybody involved in the GW hobby, because honestly, who doesn't have some kinde of marine force on one of his shelves, right?
Loved the Iron Warriors, very inspiring. I also like the Armies on Parade project the guys got going.
I very much loved the Citiyfight table. Ever since my group decided to put me in creative charge of our hobby and therefore in charge of creating a great looking battlefield, I've been trying to grab as many inspirational pics of 40k cities as I can get. And while this table is beyond the financial limits of most players due to the infaltional use of terrain kits, it's still stunning to behold.
I also like that there's more talk with the designers of all the minis and what they had in mind while designing it. It still reads like a huge press release or professional case study, but in the end, WD is the inhouse magazine. It's one and only goal is to pitch us plastic crack. 🙂
And while Jervis and Vetock are not that in-depth in their articles, it is useful to keep in mind, that these rather adress the younger readers than the veterans among us.
Keep up the reviews, I like your approach to them. 6/10 is a voting I can get behind.
Cheers,
Kenza
Just wanted to add a couple of thoughts to Stahly's review.
Very solid issue. I'm enjoying reading it at the moment. I'm a power armour fan, so I don't mind seeing all the different Chapters and Chaos forces. There is a huge wide range of power armour in this issue including FW models. It isn't just Ultramarines so it's quite varied in that regard.
I liked seeing the Bretonnians, it was a really nice army but the armchair general articles lacks purpose. They need to focus on tactics and strategies to make this a worth while feature. I also liked the Tombkings army in the battle report. Nice to see an army we haven't seen before from the WD crew fight the battle report. It's a shame Bethan didn't fight the battle report with her Lizardmen army.
I think we need to praise WD on their photography, it's going from strength to strength. I think the Lizardman photography in the new releases is some of the best yet.
The battle report has also come on in leaps and bounds with no tiny little pictures anymore. They've taken more care and lit the subjects properly. Much much better!
As a painter, I totally get the new direction of WD. I'm not a big gamer so don't mind the lack of tactic articles (which go out of date when new versions of the game/codices are released) New WD always leaves me inspired to pick up my brushes or treat myself to a new model. I really like it.
Awwww that's a shame Bethans army is so unique looking but then maybe it wouldn't translate well from a distance I am not a photography expert
Good review. I completely agree. I wish WD would go back to how it was before the change. It was much more fun to read. But did like the Sons of Decay converted model. But would have liked to know what parts they consist of.