Warhammer 40K: What’s the best way for GW to update your army?

Goatboy here with a big question for us Warhammer 40K players: How exactly can GW best release an army update?

The question I have today is: How do you like a new Army release? Do you like them doing the weird little fancy book in a box with new goodies? Do you like the release to come as a codex and a few simple crates? Do you want your combat patrol to show up immediately? Or do you just like digital trivia until a real release is updated and confirmed? How would you like to receive your new army update?

Army Updates – Fancy Box Set or Regular Launch Products?

At the moment GW really seems to have two options for releasing a new army – either by getting a fancy new splash release box with some cool new minis and a nifty codex like we saw with the Blood Angels. Or they just do it the old fashioned way with new models alongside the codex every week or two, with the hope of seeing a special combination box in the future. We’ve seen this with Orcs and Custodes. Alternatively, do you want an update to be completely digital and hope your app updates properly all at once?

Splash Release Box – Pros and Cons

The new minis with the Splash Release Box are always interesting because while I usually use it to justify a “new” army, it can be very frustrating from a player perspective. We get some nice shiny rules, a few new minis, but then we don’t get to play with those rules in most events for a few months. We’ll have to wait for updated points and initial nerfs, and hope our plans remain valid as we add color to the new models. The wait can be frustrating.

The 40K app doesn’t update immediately either. They are worried that the code in the book may have a problem because the rules are not updated. If the army is toned down and the rules are changed a lot, you’ll be left with some cards that aren’t worth playing. It can be a frustrating experience as lately there seems to be a two to three month wait just trying to play a few playtest games and hoping that you can actually get everything you want.

But it’s pretty damn awesome to get the codex, some other fun stuff, and a bunch of new models. I like the new models aspect as it gives you a good starting point for getting started with a new army. You buy the box, hopefully get a good Combat Patrol, and soon you’ll be on your way to playing 40K. Those are the things I like about it. The idea is that it’s a limited edition box – just like the Christmas boxes – so you can get enough to start something and then move on to new things as you build, paint and prepare your army are finished.

I just don’t like having to wait so long for points as it makes it difficult to plan anything.

Normal launch unit boxes – advantages and disadvantages

The other release method – which we know from previous releases – is a 1-3 week window with new boxes, hopefully leading to a decent Combat Patrol mixed in with some decent releases. You’ll immediately get enough information to really plan your army, figure out how to get all the units cheaper, and plan whatever else you need to ruin the tabletop. It’s not perfect, and you often lose out on a few splash releases and a cool, artsy-looking Codex cover – but at least you get all the parts you want right up front.

I really think a lot of this is due to the slow release schedule we’ve had since updating the new edition. We’ve waited a long time to get new rules, and while much has remained the same since the first update, there have been some massive changes to the rules and armies’ abilities in later books.

Are we just looking for a new plastic crack hit? Is it the hope that the game will become even more balanced and we’ll get cool new rules? Just waiting for the new army to inspire you to dress it up with some contrasting color?

Which publishing method do you like best? With the release of Emperor’s Children sometime soon, what do you hope to see when we get a limited edition box set, a battle patrol, and lots of boxes to dig through?

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