A codex out of date before it’s even released (bearing in mind those out of the world are from the pre-order boxes), is that a new record?

On a more serious note: I did come across an interesting idea being discussed in a few the places from this. That is, “is it even possible to balance armies with GW’s release cycle?”

With there being new codex every three months (ish) that means there is never really a point we’re any codex is released as balanced against all others. A best it is balanced against all those that came before it (or more realistically, it is balanced against those since released for the edition as previous editions are often simply missing key features that are newly introduced) as any that are subsequently released did not necessarily exist when the latest is released.

In order to achieve balance, they would need to release rules, balanced against each previous release (which itself incorporates more and more with each release) and then pull that off at least seventeen times in a row (or however many codecies there are, I heard this number but I could be off). Under such circumstances, is it any such wonder that balance is rarely achieved.

No game is immune to power creep, people like to write new and exciting things, but at least things that release together as a moment in time tend to work with each other. Or living rule sets that can be continually tweaked as updates feedback on each other as the meta spirals into some approximation of a middle ground.

This off course raises the question of GW’s desire to balance the game they make vs their desire to continue with a business model that succeeds regardless. That’s a road well trod that I shalln’t journey down at this time of night but this thought has been with me for a few days but I wonder what you all think?

I think Workshop do as much as they can given the resources they have in the time to market they give themselves.

If they produced less, people would complain. If they spent longer on playtesting, people would still complain because you cannot test every permutation. You reach combinatorial explosion so quickly with such a game that it’s literally impossible to calculate everything.  Chess has 16 pieces, with fixed moves and it has something like 10 to the 120th possible moves. (10 with 120 zeroes after it for the those- like me – who are less mathemaically inclined). Now imagine if one side has a card that lets them move just one square to the left. The other has one that can move one square to the right, both under certain conditions. Now we’re at 10×1200.

As for ‘the rules are a mess’. Ultimately, it is a game of chance.

I am not defending Workshop. I merely point out the complexity. Heck, I remember Chaos Daemons 6th being a word for word reprint of 5th. That properly ticked me off (and that’s the understatement of the year). Anyone else remember  the family photos in the Burning of Prospero black book? The massive quality drop off (and thinning of content) after Alan Bligh’s passing for the Heresy series?

What’s disappointed me is the entitlement from the community. Maybe I’ve just got old and don’t care enough any more, or have other things to worry about. Workshop found a problem and fixed it. OK, it renders investments null for those who bought the codex, but we know the errata are released to a schedule, we know that’s the chance. Would digital books help this? Very likely as they could be updated more easily but I, like many; like physical books. Part of their beauty is that they cannot be fiddled with.

Stepping back and looking at it objectively for what it is – an acknowledgement, apology and re-consideration – is a positive step. The Workshop of 10 years ago wouldn’t have bothered doing either.

Maybe, phaidknot – yet I don’t see the enforcement to buy the new book. It’s a choice. They add special rules because we want them too. I acknowledge what you’re saying but to solely blame Workshop is, I think; unfair.

That said, when 9th came out and strategems exploded even the most ardent gamers in our group couldn’t keep up.

The game is complex by default – different weapons, armour saves, cover. Unless everyone has the same then invariably it is unfair.