The new $299 Warhammer 40K canning set declares its commitment

The coolest setting of Warhammer 40,000, the small unit skirmish game Necromunda, are receiving a large new boxed set. Independent retailers have confirmed to Polygon that Necromunda: Ash Waste will retail for $299 and it will be pre-ordered online at the official Games Workshop website later this week, where it is expected to be listed at the same price. And yes, that is a terrible thing for a large box of unassembled plastic parts, a book, and some pieces of cardboard. It also represents a small shift in the scale of the 40K preference and represents a force to be reckoned with in the face of growing competition.

The original Necromunda system dates back to 1995, when it was introduced in the pages of White Dwarf Magazine. In 2017, it was relaunched with a new set of rules and elaborate plastic miniatures. For example, a 28mm miniature can easily hold 12 or more small parts – including a small cigar the size of a grain of rice, which is difficult to stick in place, thanks you very much. That has opened the door for modification and customization the hobby has simply never seen before (outside could be the army of space ork, known for literally going to war in the trash pile built from scratch… ah, trash can).

Image: Game Workshop

Out of print now, 2017 Necromunda: Underhive go for around $175 on eBay. The following revision of the starter, Necromunda: Hive Warsold for the same price, while Necromunda: Dark Uprising a little More desirable and higher price among collectors. All these sets include a series of plastic frames, rulers, markers, dice, and instruction manuals.

Why Ash waste almost double the cost? Early previews of components, published on monday, revealing exactly how much is inside that box. It consists of two gangs of 10 miniatures, two four-wheelers and four soldiers on mounts. That’s more fighters than any previous boxed set. Ash waste also includes a new and comprehensive rulebook and a short narrative campaign, plus dice and other odds and ends.

Image: Game Workshop via YouTube

But the real cherry for Necromunda aficionados are the intricate vistas provided in the form of “dwelling blocks”. In 40K fiction, they’re basically like slum modular housing that can last for millennia without maintenance – but for hobbyists they can also be a bunker. . Where the previous Necromunda Terrain sets were, with a few exceptions, fairly simple kits with not a lot of variation, these seem to allow for unheard of modifications right out of the box. There’s very little reason for your terrain to look like anyone else’s, and that’s a lot of fun.

Furthermore, the modularity of this terrain clearly demonstrates the desire to expand the range of landscapes available to Necromunda fans. Will easily make compatible terrain sets under $300 for Ash waste available to fans in the near future. But the design of these residential blocks But also seems to present a very simple and straightforward way to connect bits you might already own (or bits you might want to model from scratch) with the bits included in the box. A close examination of how to play on Warhammer Plus The subscription service clearly shows there’s no Apple Lightning connector needed here, just gravity.

Simply put, the design of this Necromunda canning set seems to rely on what makes this particular corner of the hobby so special: unique, The fan-made design blurs the line between the fireplace on the countertop and the artwork.

It is also expanding the lore for the game, adding a whole new faction and setting, both of which are previously uncharted territory. In short, it’s a statement – a statement costs $300.

So why make a power move like this now? During the past few years of the pandemic, even when many consumers were unable to play together in public, Games Workshop sales have through the roof. The growth in sales and earnings also comes with context increasing consumer acceptance of 3D printing technology. But instead of just recreating the old Space Marine factions with different details and paintwork, Games Workshop is working on expanding its other franchises – among them Necromunda. The company also spends a lot of time and effort on old favorites like Blood bowl and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, while continuing to support new lines such as Warhammer: Underworlds. Next on the horizon? Reboot of the Warhammer 30,000 series, aka Horus Heresy.

Image: Game Workshop via YouTube

There’s a reason why Necromunda: Ash Waste priced as high as a new video game console. That’s because Games Workshop expects consumers to spend as much time piecing it together, painting it, and playing with it as they do with their Nintendo Switch. From Monday’s reveal, that seems very possible. Most importantly, though, Games Workshop seems to have plans to expand and support these new product lines. It seems to be plowing record income support that expansion with more research and development, deeper lore, and more intricate new models that fans of the sport are loving.

The increasing depth and complexity of their product offering – set with the beloved lore that underpins it all – will be hard for even 3D printers to compete with.