40k’s Challenger cards may be a bit unbalanced, but Games Workshop is making so much money now, will they care in time?
Another Long War Two-Fer is HERE: Keep those hobby muscles strong with this week’s webcast and the latest exciting podcast of table-top wargaming awesomeness mostly centered around Warhammer 40k.
Show Summary:
This week, the crew talks controversy and more, including balancing and recent box values! Here are the key takeaways, section by section:
- (00:52–01:10): Hosts discuss Gen Con’s rise and their disengagement after its move from Wisconsin to Indiana, citing how eBay supplanted vendor halls.
- (06:19–07:16): Talk about the Onslaught box release and sold‑out status; comparison of retail vs. resale pricing ($49.95 stocked vs. ~$150 resale).
- (11:01–12:11): Coverage of Raven Guard and White Scars combat patrol pricing—now around $50–60, down from prior $60–70+—but still offering good value.
- (14:12–15:12): Deep dive into the Saturnnine box: valued at nearly $700, including Terminators, a rulebook, and an objective set—a standout value.
- (21:59–23:12): Crash-course on Lone Star Open tournament drama: a one-year suspension reinstatement for cheating drew community backlash and safety concerns.
- (28:22–29:46): Mid‑episode tangent comparing “safety” bans across hobby and other events—how that label is often weaponized in exclusion debates.
- (33:45–35:36): Games Workshop financials: record revenue, margin at ~37.5%, licensing surge, warehouse upgrades, supply-chain constraints, and strong trade store reliance.
- (42:23–46:29): Introduce the challenger card mechanic (aka “revenge meter”)—cards drawn when trailing by 6+ points could swing matches heavily.
- (46:29–49:05): Tension: Player 2 often holds an advantage due to tempo control and end-of-turn scoring deny, leading to strategic balancing dilemmas.
- (53:29–58:24): Comparison to fighting games’ revenge ultras: an unmanaged catch‑up mechanic may invalidate effort-based gameplay in tournaments.
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