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White Dwarf Issue 490 – Welcome to The Bunker

"Introducing The Bunker – The World’s Biggest Gaming Club"

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this!

Seems interesting, and whilst I’m not their target market, I’m confident that target market does exist.

Just a bit archaic that it’s tied to WD, when you’d think it’s much better suited to something online, albeit with a nominal monthly subscription.

Best thing is this will hopefully help people find local clubs and get their game on. Having moved half a county last year, I know such moves can make breaking into the local gaming scene a bit tricky at first.

I don't really get it, especially as Mad Doc says this sounds more suited to a website than White Dwarf.

I was hoping that today's reveal would be more Epic. Guess I'll have to wait until next week for that.

El Torro wrote:
I don't really get it, especially as Mad Doc says this sounds more suited to a website than White Dwarf.

I was hoping that today's reveal would be more Epic. Guess I'll have to wait until next week for that.

'Epic' will be on Thursdays as part of the Heresy news cycle.

In way the internet is the domain of private groups and I think GW prefers it that way because they don't have to spend resources moderating and dealing with 50 tweets/threads/comments/whatever a day asking for lower prices or something like that.


I see this as a way of GW making WD more personal and interactive whilst still being a physical publication. Plus whilst the internet is big magazines appear to be making a comeback in some circles. I know right now you can get multiple train and general model working magazines off the shelf.

So whilst its not the best time for Magazines, there's clearly still a market so having something more interactive within it is a good way to try and build interest and loyalty and content all at once.


Also having your models appear on the internet isn't a challenge. Having them appear in print is and it still carries more weight for most people.
Plus if your model is in print in WD you can show it off and it always feels more current; online you are buried under the sea of others within a very short span of time unless you win something very big like Golden Demon

I don't really understand it, it just sounds like the readers letter page but bulking it out with some painting tutorials and scenarios. The only thing different here is they have given it the name.

As someone that runs games at home and not part of what you would think of a 'serious' gaming club, I guess I'm also not the target audience. But I'm not a fan of the bubble GW creates for themselves with things like this. Its understandable why they do it as a business, but I don't think its healthy.

I've read this a few times now and I still don't think I really understand what it is.

Some additional scenarios? So it's the existing White Dwarf content with some new logos.

A newsletter? So it's the existing White Dwarf content with some new logos?

There's a points system which... doesn't seem to be for very much?

I don't get it. If you're a member of an in-person, physical club the point of that is that it gives you somewhere to play games and opponents! This... doesn't seem to help with that at all. If it were tied to in-store games I'd get it a bit more but it doesn't seem to be and not all GW stores even seem to do in-store games now.

It basically just seems to be expansion of the concept of the "Readers models" element coupled with some suggested guides and such on how and what to play.

Geared likely toward those who want some structure and want GW to provide an element of that structure to work from.

It might also be geared a bit toward "plays alone/at home" people who might also not be as active online; or if they are only in local groups online (so a few friends)

They should do a good Solo play 40k instead.

Thy just should return to give us a Shop Index in the Magazine.

RazorEdge wrote:
Thy just should return to give us a Shop Index in the Magazine.

They have one on the website and that way it's not half the magazine due to the amount of shops around these days.

Honestly that's one trump card WD has - because the whole thing is a company magazine they don't have to dedicate half the pages to page after page of ads and listings. Even a good 10 years back some magazines were so chock full of ads they were more like reading the Ad-Trader newspaper than they were a hobby magazine.

If it gets more people playing and makes it easier for people to find local clubs to join and play at, then this can only be a good thing.

 NAVARRO wrote:
They should do a good Solo play 40k instead.

Its a shame they don't do more with Necromunda beyond the Ambot Hunt scenario, nor reprint some of the expansion stuff for Blackstone Fortress.

A good idea is to adapt one of the AoS solo campaigns into 40K. For example; Chaos Wardogs instead of Troggoths, or an Inquisitor leads a dungeon crawl through a Chaos Demon infested space hulk( put those boarding patrol walls to good use! ). 10th edition rules and datasheets are free to download right now, so its only a case of getting the relevent models...

GW just needs to do an AI deck, but it would require a set of players that actually understands how the game works and is played to make a good one.

SamusDrake wrote:

 NAVARRO wrote:
They should do a good Solo play 40k instead.

Its a shame they don't do more with Necromunda beyond the Ambot Hunt scenario, nor reprint some of the expansion stuff for Blackstone Fortress.

A good idea is to adapt one of the AoS solo campaigns into 40K. For example; Chaos Wardogs instead of Troggoths, or an Inquisitor leads a dungeon crawl through a Chaos Demon infested space hulk( put those boarding patrol walls to good use! ). 10th edition rules and datasheets are free to download right now, so its only a case of getting the relevent models...

I totally agree, I think it's one big missed chance for 40k Games to have a robust solo play option. Covid showed people are doing it more and more at home.

I think GW should have an AI system. I’m just not sure whether it should be more detailed like Fallout: Wasteland Warfare or more simple but still very straightforward and workable like Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms.

(Fallout has a different AI card for every unit, ES just uses one for a whole faction).

As for The Bunker, this seems more like a rebranding for an “activities campaign”. This is more akin to challenges in video games that aren’t tied to any quests. It has it’s place.

I think the bigger issue is that the article is light on details to me.

RazorEdge wrote:
Thy just should return to give us a Shop Index in the Magazine.

But then you might not buy direct from GW...

An Index for Warhammer Stores - in your country.

I lost the overview on the Stores in Germany...

If Bunkers is going to house scenarios and rules content, what is WD going to cover?

This almost sounds like another attempt at a split like they tried to do with Visions, but instead sending the new mag all the crunch.

Umm? That reads as if bunker is part of wd. Not new mag

Sounds like a way to (try and) boost White Dwarf's readership more than anything.

You heard the man "We would immediately be the biggest and coolest Warhammer club in the world"

Seems like a harmless way to interact a bit more at the club level. Opportunity to hand out some prizes and get some nice photos of fan forces. One assumes that it could have been held under Warhammer+ instead, but that WD was decided as most in need of the shot in the arm.

They are two different types of paywall I suppose with a different set of considerations.

Of course this means that they'll be sending out C&Ds to all other gaming clubs...

Some of the coolest "Hobby Stuff" I ever saw came with the Worldwide Campaigns.

They should do more of that, using this Bunker concept as springboard.

SamusDrake wrote:
Of course this means that they'll be sending out C&Ds to all other gaming clubs...

 RexHavoc wrote:

SamusDrake wrote:
Of course this means that they'll be sending out C&Ds to all other gaming clubs...

Joking aside, it might be the start of something approaching market research / community feedback outside of tournament circles and surveys, which would probably be pretty healthy for the brand and the company.

SamusDrake wrote:
Of course this means that they'll be sending out C&Ds to all other gaming clubs...

Thats Hilarious.

And god help us if caught playing at home with the family...