Full Thrust vs Games Workshop

One of the things that has always annoyed me about the gaming industry is the cliques and bitchiness. I like to play what I like, I respect others like different things, and when I take the piss out of certain things (like D&D and YGO), people know it's because I don't take many things too seriously. Unfortunately...

Before giving the colour ideas, though, I must stress that these are ONLY IDEAS - they are suggestions as to how we see the various fleets, and you are still free to paint your own ships any colours you like. If we ever get to the G*m*s W*rksh*p state of saying "you can't play our games unless your figures are the right colours" then I think it'll be time for us to hang up the ol' laser for good.....

Y'see, I like Full Thrust. As a starship combat game, it's very good for mid-level small fleet actions. It's completely different to Battlefleet Gothic, which excels at large fleet actions and has a distinctly Napoleonic/Nelson era feel in tactics. FT is about high-tech ships chasing each other around. Grasshopper is currently organising a new campaign for the Chuckadice group I play with, and I'm looking forward to it, even if I am the FSE (Franco-Spanish).

But I worked for GW for nearly 11 years. The "anti-GW" rhetoric of GZG, creators of Full Thrust and related ranges, always got to me. Why? It's mostly based on outdated prejudice and mis-informed ranting. No big company is perfect. GW itself has made many many mistakes in its history, and gone through a number of management changes. They are, effectively, a monopolisitc cartel, and the stranglehold they have over the UK gaming industry, especially its retail outlets, is damaging tot he hobby. But Tuffley doesn't criticise this. Tuffley attacks GW because of their supposed approach to the hobby itself.

He attacks myths and creates half-truths

you can't play our games unless your figures are the right colours? Excuse me? GW, in my view quite rightly, publishes a lot of painting guides and colour scheme assistance. Why? Because there is strong demand for it. People reasonably new to the hobby (ie their core market) need assistance and help. They don't know what to do, have no idea about colour balance (which, let's face it, isn't taught very well anyway) and seek some method of making the models they've spent their hard-earned on to look good.

People want to make their models look good. They want their models to look 'right'. However, GW doesn't restrict people. They regularly run "design a Chapter" competitions. Their literature makes it clear that there are over a thousand Marine Chapters, millions of Guard regiments, hundreds of Craftworlds. Even the T'au, a new race with few planets, have a different colour scheme for each Sept; want a different colour scheme? Fine, create it, paint it, justify it. Same applies in Warhammer, etc.

Indeed, the rules themselves say this; if you want to use the rules for, for example, the Black Templars, you can, regardless of colour scheme. The restriction is that, for matter of game balance, you can't mix and match different special rules in official settings.

To my mind, kids that want to slavishly follow the 'official' colour scheme are dull as ditchwater. I paint my models as I wish to. I sometimes use a Chapter colour scheme, I sometimes create my own. Thie difference is that, if I choose to paint up Ultramarines, they are Ultramarines. Not BigBlueSpaceMarines with silly squad markings and completely wrong unit insignia. The whole point of having a military unit is that, well, the appearance is UNIFORM. The number of times I've seen Ultramarines that aren't, Dark Angel Terminators painted Dark Green, etc is annoying. Have I, as a games organiser, ever banned someone for having Howling Banshees in green?

Have I bollocks. Mr Tuffley? You've created one of the better starship combat games out there. The new models your company is releasing to support it are truly exceptional. The background is well thought through and realised. Well done. Unfortunately, you've both no idea of the workings of a Market, nor any real understanding of what a new young hobbyist needs to get started. Games Workshop, having made many errors, have learnt from their mistakes. Isn't it about time you buried the hatchet and stopped the perpetual sniping?

Grow Up John Tuffley

Laurence/Tim, you're both commenting a lot, if you want to write the occasional piece, you'd be welcome, let me know?