Monday, March 23, 2015

Apathy of the New Releases (Apr '15)

The signs of Spring's arrival are upon us.  And if Spring is coming, that means two things.

1) Allergy season is going to suck
2) The Summer con circuit is nearly here, and with it, all the new releases. 

Lots of June New Releases in this month's Game Trade.  Let's hope there all in stock for Origins and GenCon.

Must-Have Want List
Osprey Publishing
The Cthulhu Wars:  The United States' Battles Against the Mythos ............................... $18.95
By Kenneth Hite.   I'm hoping for some great pre and post Delta Green kernels of goodness.
OSP DAK731 

My Money-is-No-Object Want List
Nothing else.


My Imaginary Store List
Alderac Entertainment Group
Rumpelstiltskin .............................................................................................................  $9.99
Game of Crowns ........................................................................................................... $29.99
Trains:  Map Pack #2 .................................................................................................... $12.99

The Army Painter
While the old fart in me is still reeling from the idea that a block of d6's can cost ten bucks, I applaud Army Painter for a gimmick that may work.  Of the 36 dice that normally come in a block, 6 of them will be a different color, to represent special characters or effects.  Not a bad scheme.

Zombicide: Survivor Paint Set ........................................................................................ $17.99
The six bottles of paint run close to eighteen bucks, so I'd love to see what extras are thrown in for a legitimate boxed set

Atlas Games
Fairy Tale Gloom .......................................................................................................... $24.95

Blue Orange
King's Gold .................................................................................................................... $13.00
Rally Up! ....................................................................................................................... $13.00
Ring It! .......................................................................................................................... $15.00
Spot It! Sports ............................................................................................................... $13.00
Wink .............................................................................................................................. $15.00
I'll be honest, I wouldn't normally list these types of generic family games from an unknown company on my list, but I had assistance compiling this month's column.  Out of all the games in the GTM pdf, my five year old daughter Maja picked King's Gold and Wink as her "Daddy can we get these?" games.  Without knowing gameplay, if your store caters to the younger members of family game night, these might be some nice, affordable impulse buys.

Catalyst Game Labs
Battletech Alpha Strike Cards Series 2 ......................................................................... $19.99
Battletech Combat Manual Comstar ............................................................................. $29.99
Battletech Lance Packs (Fire, Striker) ........................................................................... $19.99 ea
Shadowrun: Battle of Manhattan ................................................................................... $14.99
Shadowrun: Bloody Business ........................................................................................ $44.99
Shadowrun: Denver Plot Book ...................................................................................... $49.99
Shadowrun: Hard Targets .............................................................................................. $49.99
Shadowrun: Data Trails ................................................................................................. $49.99

CoolMiniOrNot
CoolMiniOrNot and Corvus Belli are two of the third-tier minis makers that I don't list on here, simply due to the fact that despite their niche products, their releases make GW look affordable.  Again, my trusty sidekick Maja pointed out an item, "I think that bunny's cute, he's not scary at all!"
Arcadia Quest:  Nibbles ................................................................................................. $12.99

Cute, ain't he?
Cryptozoic Entertainment
DC Comics Deck Building Game:  Crisis Expansion Pack 2 ........................................ $20.00

Cubicle 7
Doctor Who: Dalek Dice ................................................................................................ $14.99

Evil Hat Productions
Fate Dice: Frost Dice ...................................................................................................... $15.00

Fantasy Flight Games
While I mentioned why I don't normally list CoolMini or Corvus Belli, I might as well address the omission of certain Fantasy Flight Games  (Battlelore and the  Netrunner, Call of Cthulhu, and Lord other Rings Limited Card Games).  FFG has a hot and heavy release schedule, yet I don't think I know anyone who actively plays it, I've never seen any of these products come off the shelves at any store, and I quiver in horror at the prospect at keeping all the expansions for the product in stock UNLESS a market could be determined.  There's plenty of other products they carry, that I can make an educated decision on. 

STAR WARS ARMADA: MANEUVER TOOL ............................................................ $ 7.95
STAR WARS RPG:  AGE OF REBELLION: DESPERATE ALLIES HC .................... $29.95
STAR WARS RPG: AGE OF REBELLION: SPECIALIZATION DECKS ................... PI
With 14 different specialization decks and a lack of a price, this seems like a questionable item, in league with the above-mentioned games
STAR WARS RPG:  FORCE AND DESTINY RPG ....................................................... $59.95
So...  a separate RPG to handle your force characters, versus the run o' the mill Rebel RPG?  I guess this will work better than the 40K universe.
STAR WARS RPG:  FORCE AND DESTINY GM KIT ................................................. $19.95
WARHAMMER 40K RELIC: HALLS OF TERRA EXPANSION ................................. $39.95

Games Workshop
40K:  Necron Codex ..........................................................................................................  $49.50
40K:  Necron Data Cards ...................................................................................................  $12.50
40K:  Necron Overlord ....................................................................................................... $28.00
40K:  The Tomb Awakened ............................................................................................... $185.00
The Necrons look to have gone the way of the Tyrannids.  Horribly overdone models.

40K: Harlequins Codex ...................................................................................................... $49.50
40K: Harlequins Data Cards ............................................................................................... $12.50
40K: Harlequin Skyweavers ............................................................................................... $40.00
40K: Harlequin Solitaire ..................................................................................................... $26.00
40K: Harlequin Starweavers ................................................................................................ $41.00
40K: Harlequin Troupe ........................................................................................................ $40.00
40K: Harlequin Warriors of the Laughing God Painting Guide .......................................... $33.00
The Harlequins, on the other hand, greatly benefit from being overdone (and out of production for a long time, if my limited memory serves me.) Sure the plastics are overpriced, but outside of special characters (always a ripoff) they're significantly less than Corvus Belli.  That is frightening.

WFB: Skaven Greyseer ........................................................................................................ $22.00
WFB: Skaven Stormfiends ................................................................................................... $62.00
WFB: Skaven Warlord ......................................................................................................... $22.00
Yet the Skaven (even the Stormfiends could be considered "special" characters individually are ridiculously overpriced.

Goodman Games
Fifth Edition Fantasy #3:  The Pillars of Pelagia .................................................................. $ 9.99
Fifth Edition Fantasy #4:   War-Lock ................................................................................... $ 9.99
Metamorphisis Alpha RPG:  Book of Handouts ................................................................... $ 9.99

Konami Digital Entertainment
Yu-Gi Oh! TCG:  Crossed Souls Boosters
Yu-Gi Oh! TCG:  World Superstars Boosters

Laboratory Games
Shadow of the Elder Gods ...................................................................................................... $25.00
"Help defend Arkham from Lovecraftian nightmares in Shadow of the Elder Gods, a cooperative maxi-micro Ameritrash board game."
I think I know what that means, but I don't think most store buyers will interpret that correctly.  If it is ordered, it's under the assumption that "it's a cheap version of Arkham Horror."  or any other Cthulhu-esque game released in the last decade.

Looney Labs
Just Deserts ............................................................................................................................. $18.00

Mantic Entertianment
Dreadball Xtreme .................................................................................................................... $79.99
Yet another $50+ Dreadball expansion?  I'm beginning to understand how such a simple concept can end up with multiple dealers/flea market guys selling team sets off for a steal. 

Margaret Weis Productions
Firefly RPG:  Ghosts in the Black ........................................................................................... $39.99

Mayfair Games
CATAN .................................................................................................................................... $49.00
CATAN 5-6 Player Expansion ................................................................................................  $25.00
CATAN CITIES AND KNIGHT EXPANSION ....................................................................  $49.00
CATAN CITIES AND KNIGHT EXPANSION  5-6 Player Expansion ...............................   $25.00
CATAN EXPLORERS AND PIRATES EXPANSION .........................................................  $49.00
CATAN EXPLORERS AND PIRATES EXPANSION  5-6 Player Expansion  .................... $25.00
CATAN SEAFARERS EXPANSION ..................................................................................... $49.00
CATAN SEAFARERS EXPANSION 5-6 Player Expansion .................................................. $25.00
CATAN TRADERS AND BARBARIANS EXPANSION ...................................................... $49.00
CATAN TRADERS AND BARBARIANS EXPANSION 5-6 Player Expansion .................. $25.00
Mayfair's cash cow is now going by a one word game, like Madonna or Prince?  Did "Settlers" insult the Native American population.  Is the new "one word" edition compatible with the last printing (which worked with, but did not fit perfectly with prior editions)?  Do you blow out the old stock to simply acquire the new?

Modifius
Acthung! Cthulhu RPG:  Interface 19.40  .................................................................................. $32.99

Ninja Division Games
One thing I'm pleasantly surprised about, and one thing I'm grateful for. I'm surprised Maja did not pick any of Super Dungeon Explore minis and their overpriced cuteness.  I'm grateful she did not select any of the Takaoski University minis.  Buxom school girls in various states of undress is not a conversation I want to start this month.

Osprey Publishing
Bolt Action: The Pacific and the Far East .................................................................................. $29.95
The British Dentist ..................................................................................................................... $12.95
Published in association with the British Musuem of Dentistry.  I guess Osprey will publish anything, and it will probably be informative to boot!

British Sheep Breeds ................................................................................................................... $12.95
I stand corrected.  Now I KNOW Osprey will publish anything.

Orc Warfare ................................................................................................................................. $14.95
And it continues to expand.... and yes, there are military books solicited this month as well, just nothing that hasn't been seen in their catalog before.

Paizo Publishing
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Sword of Valor Adventure Deck ........................................ $19.99
Pathfinder Adventure Path: Giantslayer Part 5 - Anvil of Fire .................................................. $22.99
Pathfinder Campaign Setting:  Hell Unleashed .......................................................................... $19.99
Pathfinder Map Pack: Camps and Shelters ................................................................................. $13.99
Pathfinder Player Companion:  Monster Summoners Handbook ............................................... $12.99

Reaper Miniatures
Reaper has a gigantic solicitation this month, the majority of which is their releases from their Bones II Kickstarter.   As expected, the Bones figures are very affordable.  Specifically to my interest are the Mouslings, which are packaged in sets of two for $2.99.  I ended up saving five bucks for each ten piece set.   With my growing vitriol erased thanks to the arrival of product, I probably will order some of the Bones singles for the girls to paint.

Two positives I gleaned from the solicitation were two Retail Starter sets being offered, at least, for between $450-500, I hope they're starter sets for a store.

Steve Jackson Games
Star Munckin 3:  Diplomatic Impunity ...................................................................................... $19.95

Troll Lord Games
Castles and Crusades RPG:  Fantastic Adventure ..................................................................... $ 6.95
Castles and Crusades RPG: Towers of Adventure .................................................................... $ 9.99

Twilight Creations
Humans!!!! 4:   Camp Zombie Lake ......................................................................................... $14.99
Zombies!!! PG Version ............................................................................................................. $29.99
Let this be recorded in the annals of time as the moment the Zombie craze jumped the shark.  Sure, I've seen plenty of zombie references in the kid's shows Maja and Millie watch (they do watch *yak* Monster High), but to have the grand-daddy of all Beer-and-Pretzel zombie games release a clean version?  I believe the kids use SMMFH. 

Ultra-Pro
Magic the Gathering:  Acrylic Land Caddy ............................................................................  PI
There's probably something cheaper available, but this appears to be a great tool for in-store booster drafts, rather than for an individual player building decks.

Vampire Squid Cards
Crabs Adjust Humidity (Volumes 1-5) ..................................................................................  $18.95 ea
Another Jump the Shark moment.  The third party, unofficial, unauthorized expansion for Cards Against Humanity.  Yes, I know, it's been on Amazon for months, that doesn't make it a good thing. 

Wizards of the Coast
Dungeons & Dragons:  Elemental Evil: Princes of the Apocalypse ...................................... $49.95
Magic the Gathering:  Dragons of Tarkir
Now that I have an interest in current Magic again, I made the realization that the pdf of  GTM #182 became available on or around March 10th.  I think the street date for Dragons is April 1st-ish?   I know it's the fault of the store for missing the emails, fliers, and general buzz of the set if they didn't know it was occurring, but why even mention it in the book for the first time within a month of release?  This should be boilerplate text waiting to be filled in the moment they have the name of the set and confirm pricing.

WIZKIDS
D&D Attack Wing Brass Dragon .....................$24.99
D&D Attack Wing Mind Flayer .......................$14.99
D&D Attack Wing Warrior ..............................$14.99
D&D Attack Wing Premium silver Dragon .....$49.99

Star Trek Attack Wing Wave 17 ..................... $14.99 each.
Star Trek Attack Wing Wave 18 ..................... $14.99 each

DC Dice Masters War of Light

Marvel Heroclix:  Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Boosters and Fast Forces Packs
Marvel Heroclix:  Nick Fury , Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Dice and Token Pack.

Marvel Dice Masters:  Avengers Age of Ultron Collectors Box ........................................ $24.99
Marvel Dice Masters: Avengers Age of Ultron Team Box ................................................. $19.99

Pathfinder Battles Gargantuan Red Dragon ......................................................................... $39.99
Pathfinder Battles Dungeons Deep Boosters
Pathfinder Battles Iconic Heroes Set 3 ................................................................................. $29.99 

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