Apathy of the New Releases (June '14)

The May Game Trade Monthly is upon us, and that means one thing: the Summer Con Season is upon us!  If a company is releasing a product for Origins, they probably should have their numbers by now, but good preorders for GenCon product might force a company to do this strange ancient ritual called upping their print run so the entire run doesn't instantly vanish by Thursday afternoon in Indianapolis.

My Want List
Chaosium
CHA 23134 CALL OF CTHULHU: RIPPLES FROM CARCOSA .............................. $21.95
Chaosium is becoming a machine. Hopefully it's not a machine that processes manure.

Dan Verssen
DV1 CT  Deep Dish Counter Tray  ................................................................................. $ 2.99
I haven't seen any good ones since my Legions of Steel days.  I'll take two, please.

My Money-Is-No-Object List
Cubicle 7
CALL OF CTHULHU: CTHULHU BRITANNICA - LONDON BOX SET ................ $89.99
As if my Masks game couldn't get MORE complicated.


The Imaginary Store (The Pegleg Gnome) List
I started this whole Apathy series to provide to "stay in the game" so to speak.  With no FLGS to speak of, it was my only way to stay close to the industry, without getting the very skewed opinions of the internet.   I personally skew the "Imaginary Store" new releases in each post to what I think will sell, using the promotion techniques I know would work, plus a healthy dose of skepticism and bias.  I'm also not afraid to say I was wrong about certain brands.  Go back to earlier months and I will show interest in a product, but as subsequent months go on I will begin to doubt if going into a line was/would be a good idea (Dust Tactics and Dystopian Wars for example).  I've also watched the dealer's tables at the local cons and have seen certain products never move from their spot on the table con after con.  In this month's post, I will throw the blogging gauntlet down on certain products, specifically the expensive uber-board games.  I'll gladly take rebuttals from my accusations, and answers to the questions I pose. 

Alderac Entertainment Group

DOOMTOWN: RELOADED .......................................................................................... $39.99

LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS RPG:  BOOK OF VOID ............................................. $39.99
LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS CCG: SIEGE - HEART OF DARKNESS ................... $34.99
LEGEND OF THE FIVE RINGS CCG: IVORY EDITION: A LINE IN THE SAND BOOSTER DISPLAY (36) Doomtown looks like a decent card game, probably with similiar mechanics to the CCG version.  There's two more card/boardgames that AEG is releasing, and like most of this part of there line, I'm just not impressed enough to dump more money into random $40 games.  

Arcane Wonders
MAGE WARS: ACTION MARKER SET 2 ..................................................................... $12.99 MAGE WARS: FORGED IN FIRE SPELL TOME EXPANSION ................................... $29.99
I list these simply because I found the original game overpriced AND bad, which usually doesn't result with additional product getting released.  Has anyone actually played this game and is it worth the money for the original game?  

The Army Painter
Tool: Hobby Saw ................................................................................................................. $11.99 While I do believe a store selling minis and paint should have some of the other modelling tools handy, I list this one for reference a little later on.  

Atlas Games
Gloom, 2nd Edition ............................................................................................................... $24.95  

Catalyst Game Labs
BATTLETECH: ALPHA STRIKE COMPANION .............................................................. $39.99 BATTLETECH: BATTLECORPS ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 5 PAPERBACK .................. $14.95 BATTLETECH: INTERSTELLAR OPERATIONS .............................................................. $59.99 COSMIC PATROL RPG: BEYOND THE GRAVASTAR ................................................... $24.99 SHADOWRUN DBG: CROSSFIRE CHARACTER EXPANSION PACK 1 ...................... $14.99 SHADOWRUN RPG: RUN AND GUN LIMITED EDITION HARDCOVER ..................... $74.99 SHADOWRUN RPG: STREET GRIMOIRE LIMITED EDITION HARDCOVER .............. $74.99  

Chaosium
ENLIGHTENED MAGIC: SORCERY AND ALCHEMY RULES BASED ON WESTERN OCCULT TRADITIONS ....................................................................................................................... $20.95
For BRP  

Cubicle 7
DOCTOR WHO RPG: THE SEVENTH DOCTOR SOURCEBOOK HARDCOVER ..........$34.99 THE ONE RING RPG: CORE RULES REVISED HARDCOVER ........................................ $49.99  

Fantasy Flight Games
DARK HERESY 2ND EDITION RPG: CORE RULEBOOK HARDCOVER .................... $59.95
DARK HERESY 2ND EDITION RPG: GAME MASTER’S TOOLKIT ............................. $19.95
STAR WARS RPG: AGE OF REBELLION ONSLAUGHT AT ARDA I HC ..................... $29.95
STAR WARS X-WING MINIATURES GAME: REBEL ACES EXPANSION PACK ...... $29.95
There's also there regular slew of boardgames, expansions, and LCGs.  I've seen them stocked at stores, but do players actually buy them at their FLGS, or do they rely on Amazon and other sources if they buy them at all?   

Gale Force Nine
CREATURES OF ICEWIND DALE GF9 71026....................................................................$50.00 KESSELS BAND GF9 71023.................................................................................................$50.00 BEHIR GF9 71013..................................................................................................................$50.00 SUNDERING BOOK 5 - KLEEF AND MALIK GF9 71028.................................................$25.00
I don't remember a lot of previous solicitations for their D&D Collector's series, but they do list a number of other products under the "Offered Again (O/A)" moniker.  They're also listing some new products for the Tyranny of the Dragons line for D&DNext.  
TYRANNY OF THE DRAGONS CULTISTS -  GF9 71034..................................................$39.99 ARCANE SPELL DECK GF9 73904......................................................................................$19.99 CLERIC SPELL DECK GF9 73902........................................................................................$12.99 CLERIC TOKEN SET GF9 73706..........................................................................................$12.99 FIGHTER TOKEN SET GF9 73711........................................................................................$12.99 SORCERER TOKEN SET GF9 73703....................................................................................$12.99 WARLOCK TOKEN SET GF9 73704....................................................................................$12.99 WIZARD TOKEN SET GF9 73705.........................................................................................$12.99 DUNGEONS &DRAGONS: TYRANNY OF THE DRAGONS DM SCREEN GF973801...$14.99 DUNGEONS &DRAGONS: TYRANNY OF THE DRAGONS CASTLE SIEGE VINYL GAME MAT GF9 73801......................................................................................................................$19.99   SPARTACUS: HOUSE CALVINIUS EXPANSION ............................................................. $15.00 SPARTACUS: CHAMPIONS HOUSE BATIATUS ...............................................................$10.00 SPARTACUS: DICE ...............................................................................................................$12.00 SPARTACUS: GLADIATORS ................................................................................................$40.00
I know Spartacus was one the games we got Hoyce for his bachelor party, but I didn't think it was that great a game to warrant expansion and other GF9 gadgets and geegaws.

Games Workshop
No new product solicited this month, but their O/A selection just about popped my top.   Remember the Army Painter Saw I listed previously?  A basic law of this hobby should be a hobby saw from one company should not be six dollars cheaper than another company's "Mouldline Remover" or $13 less than their x-acto knife hidden to look like a box cutter.  I spent a third as much for my hand drill through Army Painter than the GW cost for theirs.  Simply amazing.  

Goblin Army Games
RUKUS - THE GOBLIN ARMY GAME ............................................................................. $25.00  

Green Ronin Publishing
ICONS SUPERPOWERED ROLEPLAYING: THE ASSEMBLED EDITION .................... $34.95 MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS: GADGET GUIDES ......................................................... $29.95 PATHFINDER: ADVANCED BESTIARY .......................................................................... $49.95  

IDW
Tammany Hall........................................................................................................................ $59.99  

Konami YU-GI-OH! TCG: 2014 SUPER STARTER SPACE-TIME SHOWDOWN DISPLAY (10)  

Mayfair Games

BEDPANS & BROOMSTICKS: ESCAPE FROM SHADY PINES ................................... $35.00

Methinks my wife has been watching too much Golden Girls.  It's rubbing off.

Monte Cook Games
NUMENERA RPG: THE TECHNOLOGY COMPENDIUM - SIR ARTHOUR’S GUIDE TO THE NUMENERA ...................................................................................................................... $39.99

THE STRANGE RPG Corebook Hardcover ........................................................................ $59.99

THE STRANGE RPG Players Guide .................................................................................... $19.99

Osprey Publishing

Bolt Action: Tank War ........................................................................................................... $29.95

In Her Majesty's Name:  Sleeping Dragon, Rising Sun ............................................................. $17.95

Paizo Publishing

PATHFINDER ADVENTURE CARDGAME: SKULL & SHACKLES BASE SET ............ $59.99

PATHFINDER ADVENTURE CARDGAME: SKULL & SHACKLES ADD-ON DECK... $19.99 PATHFINDER: ADVANCED CLASS GUIDE .....................................................................$39.99
PATHFINDER ADVENTURE PATH:IRON GODS PART 1 -FIRES OF CREATION ....... $22.99
PATHFINDER CAMPAIGN SETTING: TECHNOLOGY GUIDE ...................................... $19.99
PATHFINDER CARDS: IRON GODS ADVENTURE PATH ITEM CARDS DECK .......... $10.99
PATHFINDER MAP PACK: STARSHIP CHAMBERS ....................................................... $13.99
PATHFINDER PLAYER COMPANION: PEOPLE OF THE STARS .................................. $12.99
PATHFINDER TALES: REIGN OF STARS NOVEL ........................................................... $ 9.99

Plaid Hat Games

Mice and Mystics: Downwood Tales Expansion ....................................................................... $74.95

When they call it a "big box" expansion, I hope there's lots of stuff that comes in this box...

Steve Jackson Games

Munchkin: Princesses .................................................................................................................$ 4.95

USAopoly
My Little Pony Life...................................................................................................................... PI

Warlord Games
Another minor rant that I keep repeating.  It's great that they solicit all their product, but forcing a retailer to pay more for less profit, and hide the pricing from the customer just isn't cool.  I was particularly interested in some of the Tabletop Workshop buildings, but I can imagine going through secondary channels for a cheaper price. And if I'm aware of the process and know how to inquire with my FLGS, and I STILL want to go through other sources, imagine the "regular" customer.

Wizards of the Coast

They're only soliciting Kaijudo this month, however the gaming press just announced the 5th Edition D&D books, through WotC press release and Amazon searches.  I may have a larger word on particulars later, but for now, I pray to God that they have some immediate promotion and marketing going through the distribution chain to support this release. 

Wizkids

ATTACK WING: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS STARTER SET ........................................... $49.99
ATTACK WING: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS WAVE ONE
Different figures for different prices.  No description as to the contents of each pack.
EXPANSION PACK 1 WZK 71588 ................................................................................$29.99

EXPANSION PACK 2 WZK 71589 ................................................................................$24.99
EXPANSION PACK 3 WZK 71590 ................................................................................$14.99
EXPANSION PACK 4 WZK 71591 ................................................................................$24.99
EXPANSION PACK 5 WZK 71592 ................................................................................$24.99
EXPANSION PACK 6 WZK 71593 ............................................................................... $24.99
EXPANSION PACK 7 WZK 71594 ................................................................................$14.99
EXPANSION PACK 8 WZK 71595 ................................................................................$19.99
STAR TREK ATTACK WING: ATTACK AND DEFENSE DICE PACK ......................$ 9.99