Design questions

[donm]

Having read through the new version of the rules, I found myself thinking more about how the rules could be made more accessible than the actual changes. I like the idea of a shorter, quicker first set. But I think this idea could be taken much further. However, before doing any of this, I think you/we need to decide who our target market is? Are we just offering a new set of rules to replace and old and tired set, or are we trying to reach out into ???Games Workshop Land??™ and attract new blood?

With the general ???Good Feeling??™ for AoW on the various web lists, I think it is safe to say that most established wargamers will play the rules the 3 or 4 times it takes to get to grips with them and enjoy them. However, a new comer may well be put off by the complexity. I know Games Workshop are far from easy, but at least you can go to one of their many shops and take part in a game, where everything is explained. We also need to consider what age groups these new comers may be, as they may not understand our wargamers speak.

The age question also means you need to consider what scale the rules are launched in. 15mm metal figures are not available in the local model shop. Metal figures have an age/safety issue. So should we consider 20mm plastic figures and use these for the majority of the pictures in the rules. Before you think I have gone mad, go and have a look in you local model shop at the vast range of plastic ancient/medieval figures (or here http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/index.htm). The guys at Rapid Fire see this as so important that they are about to produce their own plastic figures ( http://www.valiantminiatues.com/index.htm). I am not suggesting this is what we should do, but I do think we may miss a chance to attract new blood.


Anyway its back to the red wine and celebrations for me,

Don M