The 9th Age of Terra

Age of Sigmar has now had a month to settle in, and in that time has created a very large rift in the WHFB scene, rippling out and affecting other tabletop platforms. The immense amount of chatter in local club pages and across global forums is intense. Many players are jumping ship to other games, others are saying they will stay with 8th edition, and others yet are trying out and enjoying AoS. A change such as this release could not have created a bigger rift in the Warhammer community.

In light of all of the changes, a new edition of the game is currently being developed by the ETC and Swedish Comp teams who have in the past written and released solid comps for WHFB tournament play. Although this is not a Games Workshop support edition, this new rule set, known as the 9th Age, could possibly be a good go to for the future. It has the promise of solid rules, frequent rule and army book updates, and FAQs that are actually Frequently answered. It also has the potential for new variation in units, with new units being released for armies also. No, they aren't going to go into the business of making models for these (though it gives the opportunity for an existing business to do so, or a new business to be born), but let's be honest. There are enough miniatures from across many platforms and companies that players will be able to utilise and convert to fit as these new units. I mean, we do that with current units anyways don't we?

Although the 9th Age will not have the same strength in following as 8th has due to it not being supported by an Offical company producing official books and miniatures, it really has the potential to become a solid and well founded game that can be enjoyed on both a casual and competitive scene. I am all for sticking with 8th should nothing better arise, but the 9th Age might just be that better thing, and something that the global community will grow in and enjoy.