Hi, no experience with the Runewars game or community (yet).

There is a collection for sale at the local FLGS that seems to be a pretty good value, and I'm wondering if it's worth getting into RuneWars at this time? I certainly don't want to jump into a dead game, as I've already got a huge Armada collection that's looking more and more grim. I guess my worry is that locally I haven't seen anyone playing it. At FFG's Gencon last year, it only looked like maybe two dozen players or less were there for RuneWars.

Thanks!

If the concern is who plays it locally, you’d have to check in there. Overall, the tournament participation does measure less than Armada, but local casual game nights will vary by area.

It is an amazing game but you have to check your local area. Someone has to be leading and show up every week to keep people coming.

It's a pretty regional game, and it's currently in a bit of a release lull, so at least locally people have shifted their attention to other projects. If you can find a few people locally to play with then it's a great game, but it will never pull the kind of numbers that X-wing, WM/H, or 40k do.

I jumped in this summer after trying it with some friends. I’m now hooked. By building mutliple armies and getting one other player to help with the group, we’re now up to 8 on a weekly basis.

The best thing right now is that the older expansions are cheap, so you can build multiple forces and just run the first few sessions to let people decide if they like it. Then I direct them to eBay where people are always dumping something.

I’m at the same point with Runewars that I am with Armada. I have way more figures and forces to build than I’ll every finish with. If FFG doesn’t release much over the next couple of years, then I’d be disappointed, but I can live with it.

4 hours ago, sarumanthewhite said:

I’m at the same point with Runewars that I am with Armada. I have way more figures and forces to build than I’ll every finish with. If FFG doesn’t release much over the next couple of years, then I’d be disappointed, but I can live with it.

Yeah, I have an embarrassing number of Reanimates, but I need to finish painting them all before unleashing the glory of the double 12-tray. I'll be good for quite a while if nothing else gets released, but there's nothing like new releases to get the excitement going again.

The challenge is getting your local community to buy in. Our group has around 8 players which keeps us ticking over and we have someone that actively promotes and runs events on a semi-monthly basis which is very welcome. The game itself is very solid, enjoyable and a refreshing break away from other table top war games. If you have a fantasy itch that you need to scratch, this is certainly it.

The community, both online and offline are very welcoming and due to the size, you get to know them as people as opposed to just other players which I really like. Some are willing to travel for games and due to the style of game play, it's not uncommon to squeeze two or three games into an evening as opposed to that ONE 2,500 point game that takes up your entire house and weekend, much to the disgust of partners and pets alike.

There are also only two or three unit tactics that will literally drain the life out of you and make it unenjoyable but if you are playing casually then this isn't much of a concern.

The models are also quite decent sculpts, fit in well to other game systems and as others have mentioned, can be picked up on the cheap.

However. .

The lack of updates, I think the last actual true new unit announcement was June 2018, the fact stores in London don't want to re-stock their supplies because the game doesn't sell, no one plays it in their store so they don't want to invest in OP kits or put any time aside for it because of lack of attendance, does make convincing people to buy in difficult. I personally cannot see any of the London stores even bothering to host Store or Regional Championships in 2019 unless one of our players specifically offers to pay for and run the event for them on a dead day. European Championships I think are a non-starter.

FFG doesn't help the matter considering that this isn't the first time this has been raised and yet weeks go by with no news, comments or any sign that they are even planning anything. I appreciate that Armada is also in the same boat but that has the added benefit of having STAR WARS plastered over it and with X wing dancing into the Clone Wars, Armada could very easily do the same and see a new lease of life. Rune Wars doesn't have that luxury.

So if you are looking for a range of nice models and don't mind a lack of FAQ, Errata or any Organised Play support and you can at least get a game or two in once a month as well as use the models for other games, I would say jump in. If not. . . well . .

I honestly don't see this game surviving now that the CEO of FFG has left the company.

4 minutes ago, DivisibleByZero said:

I honestly don't see this game surviving now that the CEO of FFG has left the company.

Did he have a personal stake in Runewars?

6 minutes ago, Hepitude said:

Did he have a personal stake in Runewars?

I'm not sure, but my gut tells me that the lack of news, the lack of sales and the Asmodee relationship in addition to Christian leaving is bad news for it. I'd love to be proven wrong because I love this game and want it to succeed.

They can hold on to releases since they created this IP. Their other IPs they probably have release schedules they must adhere to, but this one they can take it as they like. And with the RPG just released, I am not that worried about this game folding up.

1 minute ago, Cusm said:

They can hold on to releases since they created this IP. Their other IPs they probably have release schedules they must adhere to, but this one they can take it as they like. And with the RPG just released, I am not that worried about this game folding up.

Sure...they can hold on to releases if they want while the community abandons the game. Doesn't mean they should.

1 hour ago, DivisibleByZero said:

I honestly don't see this game surviving now that the CEO of FFG has left the company.

I don't know how long the game will survive, but the CEO leaving isn't going to be bad for it. Given how the game's release schedule was apparently shoved around at will, it obviously wasn't even close to "CEO's pet project". While the new CEO may kill the game quickly, the long-term chance of the game growing are more favorable with a random new face running the show.

Imperial Assault had their last product released 8/22/18, there has been no hint of new items.

Armada had their last product released 2/1/18 and announcement on 8/3/18 of a future product with no eta.

These are both the holy grail of the FFG IP and they have less releases/news than Runeswars, last product released 11/1/18. FFG put most of their attention in the past year on Legend of the 5 Rings, Legion and X-Wing 2.0. All three of these games could be dropped but I don't see that happening. Unfortunately Asmodee just seems to concentrate on a single game or two and let the rest just stew.

I think what we’re seeing is also a byproduct of these “build your force” type of games. In order for it to have a chance at success, there needs to be a critical mass of units and unit types. We saw it with Runewars when it was first released and most recently with Legion. They have to dedicate substantial resources to get it off the ground at which point, the realities of running a business take over. They have to move on to a new release or a larger game line.

As an Armada player, we haven’t had a new release in about one year and counting. Same for Imperial Assault (as someone else mentioned). We can see where their resources are being directed by the latest set of releases. I suspect they’ll swing around to Runewars with some new announcements next summer. In the meantime, I prefer to focus on the things I control which is bringing new players into the game and helping them get an army built with the inexpensive forces for sale on eBay or through retailers unloading the oldest products.

Regardless, we can all agree that this is a great game and needs more visibility at stores and cons...

15 hours ago, Cusm said:

Imperial Assault had their last product released 8/22/18, there has been no hint of new items.

Armada had their last product released 2/1/18 and announcement on 8/3/18 of a future product with no eta.

These are both the holy grail of the FFG IP and they have less releases/news than Runeswars, last product released 11/1/18. FFG put most of their attention in the past year on Legend of the 5 Rings, Legion and X-Wing 2.0. All three of these games could be dropped but I don't see that happening. Unfortunately Asmodee just seems to concentrate on a single game or two and let the rest just stew.

That is interesting to know but I also know that when I walk into any of the three local gaming clubs or any of the seven local London stores, someone is generally playing IA or Armada or the store has an entire section dedicated to it. Rune Wars on the other hand. .

Four stores don't stock it anymore.
One actually gave their remaining stock away as prizes so they don't have to stock it anymore.
Two didn't bother with it because they simply didn't have the space.
One had the remaining stock buried in a corner amongst Warhammer Fantasy Battle stuff, at 90 % off.

I've only spoken to three of the stores recently about events and they typically all said the same thing, they would LIKE to run events . . but they don't have the time/space/interest in doing it. One even asked if people even still played it. Another thought it was a failed Kickstarter campaign game. .

As for X wing, that won't go anywhere. FFG is essentially built on the shoulders of that game and the fact that any Store/Regional/National/European/System Open/Hyper Space Qualifier/Worlds event gets sold out is another indicator that it is here to stay. Especially with Clone Wars Era stuff now making it's way into the game. They could release an over-powered Jar Jar Binks card and the game would still sell.

Meanwhile, Rune Wars didn't even get game mats at Nationals and you got the prizes at Euros if you mentioned Rune Wars to a member of staff in between rounds of any other game.

Anyway, as I mentioned before, as a casual game with interesting fluff, great models and a fun system, Rune Wars is where it's at. Just keep it casual and try to get a game or two in occasionally to justify the cost.

My store has stopped stocking it as well. They put all of their remaining stock at 60% off and it still sat untouched until I finally bought it all. The game also has no official presence at Adepticon 2019. I think the game can succeed, but it won't succeed with no new releases for a full year.

I haven't played a game in months.

We had/have some players down in San Antonio but now I'm up around Denver and it's just crickets.

On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 12:28 PM, DivisibleByZero said:

I honestly don't see this game surviving now that the CEO of FFG has left the company.

He wasn't the CEO of fantasy flight for awhile. He took over as head of asmodee NA, which is the North American arm of the parent company of FF, Plaidhat, Spacecowboys, Catan, Ect… His leaving really doesn't change anything at Fantasy Flight itself AFAIK.

If you have at least one other dedicated player, it's more than enough to keep the game going locally. Runewars offers so much diverse strategy that it doesn't get old.

Recommend if there's a cheap army available to buy in.

Also, let's think about what really is necessary to have fun and enjoy the game. Certainly we all love new releases, but it is easy to get sucked into the rat race of always waiting around for the next thing. As @Jukey says, this game offers a diverse amount of strategy. No one has figured it out and lots of different things can win. That leaves lots of different units. I was having this discussion with my gaming buddy yesterday: even if they completely stopped all releases, but perhaps if they kept up the FAQ, tournament support, and such, I'd still be good for the game for a couple of years. There's just that much that still remains to play out. Now, I obviously hope that isn't true. But if I think about the absolute long-term run of the game, I'd also be pretty comfortable if each faction got a second unit of each type (siege/infantry/cav), and then it cut. It feels like it could expand about that much and then be fine, but what comes beyond that point probably powercreeps the earlier units out rather significantly.

I'm honestly not sure what to make of the stores seeming to duck out of the game. We've got a healthy scene, and they are quite comfortable with continuing to support us with kits. Its just a question of what FFG does from here.

As many have said, there are reasons to be both optimistic and pessimistic about the game's future.

Optimism

World's did grow in size from 12 to 20 players this past year.

All four factions have a complete roster of units out now.

Buying in is cheaper than ever due to lots of sell outs and discounts.

Pessimism

Lots of stores not stocking product due to lack of demand.

Cancellations in certain countries.

No new product announced/on the horizon for the first time in the game's life cycle.

Lack of announced Q4 kit when every other game is getting one.

Does that all mean the game is dead? I'd say it is far too early to tell. I have made the case before that FFG has bungled not only the release of the game, but the stretch in which Uthuk expansions were delayed half a year also took the wind out of the game's sails. Poor balance issues with Ravos and Threshers hurt our community for a while too.

I think the best case scenario at this point is that RW ends up in the Armada territory--one or two releases a year and a dedicated community. The worst case is that FFG pulls support (and no tourney kit would be a bad sign). Certainly too early to panic, but I'd say no news by mid-to-late February wouldn't be too great, even with all the stuff coming out for X-Wing and Legion. Time will tell.

Lots of great analysis upstream here. This is part of the reality we live in now where there’s so much stuff coming out every week it’s hard to keep folks attention over an extended period of time for unlicensed products. Also, this was FFG’s first attempt at something like this into a field that had been arguably vacated by GW when they shifted Warhammer to a skirmish game.

Like @Vergilius said, there’s many armies to build that those of us who are already into it could easily run a couple of years with no new expansions, but, that would effectively cap the size of the game as it fades further and further from store shelves.

We’ve got a group of 6-8 regulars that we’ve built over the past couple of months. A couple of us bought multiple forces, put them together and made them available to local players for a few sessions while they built their interest in the game. With all of the cheap figures out there on eBay and at various online stores, it wasn’t hard to get folks to the next level.

As said before, the game is solid and I think fills a niche missing within the table top genre at the moment. It rides the line between mass battles and skirmish games quite well and the system is unique and interesting. It doesn't take hours to play, it doesn't use a "watch me destroy your army and when I'm done, you can try and retaliate with whats left" game style and keeps both players engaged throughout all the phases of the game which is a massive plus for me.

The game could have been huge. A live campaign that was influenced by Organised Play results worldwide, the story advancing, units receiving amended versions as the war escalates, heroes going through different stages, etc. It could have been amazing. I mean, let's take the situation as it stands now:

Uthuk dominated Nationals and Worlds. . . so FFG release an article : The Tides of War

This article advances the story, detailing how the Uthuk swept through Terronoth, leaving carnage and destruction in their wake. Waiqar's legion, the Daqan Baronies and Latari all stood resolute against the onslaught but took insurmountable loses, no one able to stem the tide.

The article would drop hints at new units to come. It could mention that a Daqan Barony has reached out to old allies to bolster their defenses in their time of need (Dwarves) whilst another has begun constructing Rune Golums with Volatile Runes out of desperation to recoup their loses (New Rune Golum rules/Upgrades).

Maro, diving deeper into the forbidden magic is managing to revive bigger and better monsters (Banshee, Barghest, Dragons, new Maro unit card) whilst Waiqar himself has restored his own personal regiment of Honor Guard . . .

The Latari finally muster fully for war (hinting at the fact they were reluctant to commit originally) and bring forth the full might of the Wildwood forest. Massive Scion constructs, an array of beasts lead by a single elven master and more powers to control the battlefield !

Uthuk continue to ride the tide of war and their success brings more warbands under the banner. Blood Harvesters, Chaos Lords and entire covens of Blood Sisters now take to the field !

Then the OP kit, Store, Regional etc would all be another stage of the campaign. Each one telling a further part of the story. Players helping determine the future with their faction choice, wins and loses. . it could have been so sweet.

But no, we get nothing. We get a tweet from FFG essentially telling us that, yes they hear us but they don't want to address it.

2 hours ago, Viktus106 said:

A live campaign that was influenced by Organised Play results worldwide, the story advancing, units receiving amended versions as the war escalates, heroes going through different stages, etc. It could have been amazing. I mean, let's take the situation as it stands now:

Uthuk dominated Nationals and Worlds. . . so FFG release an article : The Tides of War

This article advances the story, detailing how the Uthuk swept through Terronoth, leaving carnage and destruction in their wake. Waiqar's legion, the Daqan Baronies and Latari all stood resolute against the onslaught but took insurmountable loses, no one able to stem the tide.

The article would drop hints at new units to come. It could mention that a Daqan Barony has reached out to old allies to bolster their defenses in their time of need (Dwarves) whilst another has begun constructing Rune Golums with Volatile Runes out of desperation to recoup their loses (New Rune Golum rules/Upgrades).

Maro, diving deeper into the forbidden magic is managing to revive bigger and better monsters (Banshee, Barghest, Dragons, new Maro unit card) whilst Waiqar himself has restored his own personal regiment of Honor Guard . . .

The Latari finally muster fully for war (hinting at the fact they were reluctant to commit originally) and bring forth the full might of the Wildwood forest. Massive Scion constructs, an array of beasts lead by a single elven master and more powers to control the battlefield !

Uthuk continue to ride the tide of war and their success brings more warbands under the banner. Blood Harvesters, Chaos Lords and entire covens of Blood Sisters now take to the field !

Then the OP kit, Store, Regional etc would all be another stage of the campaign. Each one telling a further part of the story. Players helping determine the future with their faction choice, wins and loses. .

12

Wow,FFG Please this. Great suggestion! @Viktus106

would be awesome if we had a was to report battles taking place somewhere in terrinoth (mennerna) according to the location on the planet say where it takes place and why.