Warlord Warlord - the state of play

[ThatDeadGuy]

Hello all!

Outside of my humble gaming group of 6-12 Warlord players (with varying degrees of participation) I can not find another soul who plays the game. Most people don't even know about it. One of my group even went onto Reapers Facebook page and mentioned how fun the game was, only to be greeted by a chorus of "What's Warlord?" or "What?". I am saddened by this. I happen to feel that Warlord is quite possibly the best skirmish fantasy game around, and it deserves recognition. Is the game dead or just never really been alive?

Personally I have been playing since it first came out, and founded my current gaming group about 6 months after that. My purpose in this post is to see what, if anything, has been and could be done to get the word out and expand the player base (in a more official sense). I've hit up various forums now and again for years and only managed to get only one response from a player interested in learning the game (who did end up joining our ranks). On the altruistic side I'd like to see the game get the recognition it deserves and find more players nationwide. And of course on the selfish side, me and my crew have been slaughtering each other for years now and we would really like to find more opponents for our local chapter (East/Central Florida). Either way an expanded player base would be greatly welcomed. Any thoughts from the Reaper staff and fellow players alike would be welcome.

[TaleSpinner]

My boys and I play, but we're a bit of a commute from your area.

[ThatDeadGuy]

That you are sir :)  Glad to see there is someone else out there who plays though.

[Bonwirn]

I play Warlord! and while I am closer than Talespinner, it's still a fair piece to travel for a game. The problem is not with people wanting to play. The problem is, in my opinion, there is very little publicity regarding the game. If there was a concerted relaunch of the game, especially with the new Bones figures really dropping the price of some of the factions, I feel the game could make a come back. However, Reaper has stated time and again that they are a miniatures company, not a game company.

 

For reference, the CAV:SO rule book, that has been in development for some time (a few years), has recently undergone a revamp. Demo copies were available during the ReaperCon auction in May, but there is no published time table for release of the rule book, to go with the figures from a Kickstarter that ran in October of 2014. I hope they have the rulebook published and available prior to shipping the rewards from the CAV Kickstarter that is due to ship in July (or maybe August based upon the last update).

 

A lot of folks have been clamoring to release the rules for Warlord in a PDF format, to increase sales of the minis. However, again, y opinion only based on what I see, Reaper doesn't want to spend the money to create the PDF of the rules to release for free...

[Baphomet69]

I'm a big fan of Reaper, but when it comes to Warlord...I'm so bloody exasperated.

 

There's a small (but not that small), vocal group of fans that clamor for more Warlord love at every opportunity. During the first 2 KS we begged often and loud for more attention for Warlord. Silence. Reaper is great with communication on everything else, but on Warlord the silence is always deafening. It's frustrating as hell, and I don't think I'm alone.

[ThatDeadGuy]

However, Reaper has stated time and again that they are a miniatures company, not a game company.

 

 

 

 

Aye, I have seen them say this before. In addition to Warlord (all the way from original release to now) I also play(ed) CAV and CAV2 (I am a little less enthused about CAV: SO - I'll probably stick to CAV2, though I did back the Kickstarter).  I am disappointed that they seem to so casually shrug off their games. I know other Reaper Games that I do not play (such as Reich of the Dead) have ended up with a similar situation - a small fan base asking for more support. Any RAGE game I have ever played has been a superior product for it's niche, and as an avid Wargamer I feel that means something. I'd hate to see Warlord fall to the wayside as inferior products (continue to) take over. I'd even be happy to lend a hand in keeping the game alive, if the Reaper gods are interested in my services.

 

 

I would like to believe however, that if they can find the time and resources to produce things like Mouselings ::shudder::,  they could find the time and resources to keep Warlord strong. 

I can't claim to know their business, but rather I say all this as a fan and a customer. And really I am trying to rally supporters and get Reapers attention, and as stated even offer at my services if they desire.

Edited June 18, 2015 by ThatDeadGuy

[Inarah]

I think it is a matter of return on investment.  I have heard it said in the gaming industry that if your new game does not hit critical mass when it is released then you don't get enough word of mouth to keep it spreading among hobbyists.  If you don't hit that magic number the first time, then the amount of effort and money required to keep pushing it will overrun any profit you might see.  

 

I think Warlord is a great game and it is too bad it never really caught on.  At the same time, Reaper is a really small company (despite multi-million dollar kickstarters) and I believe they are focusing their time and energy where the profit is: miniatures. 

 

I also think this spring's Reapercon was a lost opportunity to promote the game among Reaper fans. Warlord figures weren't in the store at the hotel or the factory. 

[Froggy the Great]

I loved warlord in its initial heyday. Now I have armies taking up space.

[Nuadha]

I say the time is ripe for a Warlord revival and I think Bones 3 would be a perfect chance.  What if it was something that Reaper didn't need to spend money on?

 

I am sure there are plenty of fans who would volunteer to scan the old rulebooks for Reaper for PDF download.  If they can offer the rulebook pdf as a stretch goal on Bones III and it doesn't even cost them something, wouldn't that be cool?

 

A group could be put together to update units or create stats for new units similar to how D&D Miniatures has been kept alive (somewhat....undead at least) by fans.  I'd be willing to be part of that group!

[Inarah]

Reaper has said NO to a pdf version repeatedly.  It's not a matter of finding someone willing to scan it.  They don't want it out in pdf. 

 

Stats for new models would be cool, if you can find some of the people who worked on the game and know the secret formula for calculating them. 

 

People willing to run games at local conventions and at Reapercon would be even more cool. 

[herzogbrian]

Warlord is NOT dead...though I think that the name is.

 

 

Herzog Games has been given permission to publish the game under a different name.  We are currently working on producing our own art and diagrams along with a reformatting of the rules in general, adding optional rules and rules for larger multiplayer games.

 

 

The plan is to make the rules available in a PDF format.   We are also in the process of adding new factions to expand the appeal of the game.   If you are interested in helping to playtest new factions please drop me a PM.

 

[Deadeye_Jake]

YAY herzogbrian!

 

I am super-psyched to hear that someone is reviving Warlord!

 

My Bloodstone Gnomes have been itching for a fight.

 

=-Jake

[rgtriplec]

I think the killing blow for the game was the disbanding of the Black Lightning group, and the release of 2nd edition. Not that 2e is a particularly bad rule set, but it brought with it a lot of things that turn gamers off.

[TGP]

I think the killing blow for the game was the disbanding of the Black Lightning group, and the release of 2nd edition. Not that 2e is a particularly bad rule set, but it brought with it a lot of things that turn gamers off.

 

I thought 2nd version was better.

[Froggy the Great]

What killed it for me was moving across country into a (then) D20/M:TG gaming ghetto.