I'll have to admit, I'm a little surprised at the apparent amount of attention my previous blog post attracted. I can only guess that the sentiments therein are ones shared by a great many in our community even if only in a small way.

I didn't intend it to be in any way a manifesto for the 2020 New Rules Haters Front. It was basically an attempt at putting a humorous slant on a way OTT stream of consciousness rant. My true thoughts are obviously more complex and nuanced.

There is much in the new rules that I understand and even like. I also know of a few names associated with their development and they do indeed as Throweck has said, know what they're talking about and I don't doubt they love the game as we all do.

I do however broadly stand by everything I said. One can understand the reasons for change, and perhaps even embrace it while still grieving for what is passing. One can understand it while a part of you resents and hates it.

I have loved this game for a very long time. I still have my old Orc team that came with the box set I forked out for in the early 90s. Regardless of the various editions since, they have generally always played the same way, with the same dynamic; MA6 ST3 blitzers and MA4 ST4 Black Orcs. I love that team and have many happy memories attached to them. It is my right and that of every other coach to feel sad at their passing and to question whether what will replace them is worth it.

The new orc team does look boring to play and the black orc team does look silly, boring and pointless. The fact that the rules have not been fully released and we're all mostly speculating is immaterial. We are emotionally invested in this game and it is not unjust or unreasonable to have an emotional reaction over seeing it change so dramatically and not necessarily or obviously for the better.

GW do not have a faultless record in this respect. I resent that they messed with a perfectly good Underworld team just so it could fit in with NAF style tournaments better. I resent that they're giving us OWA for apparently the same reason. I won't mention the plastic sprues... These are my opinions, they may be unreasonable or wrong but they're still mine. Neither GW nor anyone else is under any obligation to pay them the slightest heed but I'm allowed to air them and get them off my chest.

Joost made a comment that he was a big fan of Warhammer FB (me too!) and instinctively turned his nose up at AoS until trying it and finding it even better. This may well turn out to be the case in Blood Bowl too, as I said, much of what we're seeing is only half understood blurry photographs stripped of context. And there is the small matter of actually playing the damned thing and finding how it works on Fumbbl as well as which particular subset we'll be most attracted to. But we can still see that big change is coming and can be forgiven for all the hyperbole and exaggeration that has followed.

We all have our own personal reactions to things, some love what they're seeing, some hate it completely, most sit somewhere in the middle. I'm sure that everyone will at least give the new version a go and I also choose to believe that it won't be that bad. Please God let it not totally suck. There will be things that are good and things that are bad. We will all have to find a new normal. Some of us won't be able to and that's really sad, many of us, especially the old timers will still prefer Old Ball no matter how good the new one is.

Anyway, wherever you stand, raise your glass to the grand old man as he walks off into the sunset. Have a cry and then maybe break something and set the pub on fire, it'll make you feel better.