That's fair. I'm a big fan of stuff like Berserk so the art is mostly my cup of tea (the stigmatic nun designs I don't like). I haven't actually played it and honestly probably won't but I'm having fun kitbashing for it none the less. I backed the book primarily for the art.
Yeah for sure I can see that. Perfect valid take imo. I've previously followed a lot of the artists who are working on it so I'm just stoked to see them have such a wild success and for me to have a different thing to bash kits for (I need a little push into a theme to get me going).
This is my one reservation about the game too. Reading some of the comments & discussion in the FB group, and it has 100% attracted the type of 40k fan that writes "yes, brother" to other marine players and thinks they are a dreadnought IRL.
And those people are quickly dismissed by the community and the creators. The creators are very clear about the community they want to cultivate and alt right bullshit is not it
No criticism at all of the guys creating the game and the community they are trying to build, like you say they are doing everything they can to keep undesirables away. But, the concept and setting is attracting more of those, than say if this was a wargame for Harvest Moon, for example.
Of course, the subject matter is super dark and could attract certain unsavory sorts. That’s why the creators and community are making it abundantly clear that alt right, far right, nazis, zealots etc aren’t welcome. But look at DnD it still attracts some awful folks
In case of Trench Crusade, there is a non-Christian Order faction.
In case of Warhammer, there are only Imperium and Enemies of the Imperium.
Which limits potential for nuance. They end up telling straightforward stories from perspective of the Imperium.
Basically, it's "like Warhammer, but less innately hateful".
In Warhammer you have a novel protagonist wearing a nazi belt buckle while "defending humanity".
In Trench Crusade, there is space for more. And this is explicitly stated.
I will be honest, that entire thing is quite silly when you actually think about the whole ordeal for a few moments, it very much is capable of that as a setting and game.
It has similar feel to when turnip gets quite silly, turnip is granted by nature a lot more comedic, but I find TC with it's different period gets even more amusing, but granted, I know my own cultural background makes my sense of humaour a bit more "grimdark"
He's got such a good vibe going with whatever he's making while somehow making it seem like anyone could have a go. Giving old GW diy magazine sections personified.
Oh thank god! I thought it was just me. There seemed to be universal love for TC but I just don't vibe with it, despite it having so many great elements. Need that ridiculousness.
I like it but this is why it wouldn't become my main thing. Warhammer can do TC but it doesn't look like TC can do Warhammer. Horses for courses though.
I don't HATE Trench Crusade as such but the First World Ear is perhaps one of the conflicts in human history that does not need to be made more grimdark than it already is
you know, that's a valid reason to not get into something. While I am currently looking into the game because I dig the asthetic, I totally get the "I can't get into this because it's too dark"-mentality. I know I had this moment with different games/movies at different points in my life.
I noticed how my perspective on "occult Nazis" as a popculture villian has changed. Used to be fun in my 20s, stuff like Hellboy especially, but I have trouble getting into it now because of... you know *vaguely gestures everywhere*
Understandable. I like the lore behind it, grim as it is, and the models coming out look fire. But, big but, why a skirmish game? I feel the game would better represent the background if it was an epic scale, mass battle game. With tanks, masses of infantry, demons and such.
IIRC, the people behind the game have a background in skirmishers. And If i had to guess, its because smaller scale games usually allow a tighter focus from the design side of things.
That makes sense, I didn't realise he was behind Mordhiem, that's pretty awesome. Was chatting with a friend about using smaller figs made in squads using the points system TC has to make games larger scale.
I like the look of it, but its overwhelmingly ever present at the moment. I'm waiting to see who's still playing in a couple of months when it calms down and how it evolves
But that's fine. The great thing about having all sorts of different games is that there's more choice. If you don't like a thing, mute the words and block the people and carry on as if it doesn't exist. 😁
I don't mind it, but i doubt I'm going to play it. On one hand, it's really great at setting a particular vibe and it oozes with flavor. On the other, it's a very SPECIFIC vibe and flavor that I'm not always in the mood for. I hear the game itself is pretty good, though.
Where’s the whimsy? What’s the point of all that endless misery?? Even the most outrageously brutal settings are inherently a little silly. I don’t see even a hint of TC acknowledging that, making it fertile ground for the worst of the wrong ‘uns.
But also, "Hell's cannon fodder instantly gain their freedom and leave the game if they kill someone Good enough"? Like you said, the silliness is there.
Maybe I'm conditioned from having grown up with '90s Warhammer, Mordheim, etc, but I'm incapable of viewing grimdark settings as anything other than inherently silly.
Would love for them to depict that, but in the meantime that's how I'm reading it anyway.
Comments
In case of Warhammer, there are only Imperium and Enemies of the Imperium.
Which limits potential for nuance. They end up telling straightforward stories from perspective of the Imperium.
In Warhammer you have a novel protagonist wearing a nazi belt buckle while "defending humanity".
In Trench Crusade, there is space for more. And this is explicitly stated.
I don't care about religion, or the look, or the never-ending WW1 vibes, or the look
But otherwise I'm sure it's a great game
the whole vibe is too dark for me. No room for silliness is a no go for me in these days.
I think with it being kitbash friendly it's pretty easy to make things a bit more silly if you'd like too.
I don’t doubt that it’s a good game system and all.
I'm glad people are enjoying it, but it really needs something like Landsknecht or something else with colour in it.
Except those f××king rutabagas...
Would love for them to depict that, but in the meantime that's how I'm reading it anyway.