Why limited-edition tabletop game items are so cool. A 1UP classic...

Tabletop gamers are a unique lot. They enjoy the gaming experience for many of the same reasons that the video game crowd does. There are games that can take players back in time, to fantastic worlds or even to far off planets. There are games that allow players to take on the role of a pro athlete, dictator, robot, cartoon character, police officer or even monster. The best titles are the immersive experiences, the ones that allow players to lose themselves even if just for a moment. Exceptional games can keep a player hooked for hours on end. Many gamers can attest to losing track of time during a session. The most die-hard gamer can attest to losing track of decades. This is because very often a great game has a backstory to hook the player, whether stated or not. The player is often dropped in the middle of a crisis that only they can solve. As the game progresses the elements of the story and the world are revealed to them. The more players become engaged with the experience the more they play and the more that they learn about the game and the game world. The cycle of gaming and discovering continues with every successive play through. Above everything else however there is the camaraderie, the community and the mutual appreciation of the games that players enjoy.

Both the tabletop and video game players can also enjoy the collecting aspect but one goes to the extreme end to support the community. Tabletop gamers enjoy the tangible aspect of the hobby. Each game and each system is supported by books, dice, miniatures and templates. To be fair some video games do have merchandise and collectables as well. Toys, clothing, books and yes, even miniatures and tabletop systems as well. The ones who do it best and who will always do it best are the tabletop gaming manufacturers. The physical objects they produce have a special connection with collectors. Yes an MMO player can spend just as much time as a tabletop gamer leveling, customizing and even painting a character. Once the power goes out however only one type of player has a physical reminder of their game. Those that have been playing miniature based games for 10, 15 or even 20 years have enough physical reminders to fill a garage or two. These players have to collect, assemble and paint their armies one soldier at a time. Video game players get to command a single person or entire unit, some armed with amazing weapons, at their disposal. Dozens if not hundreds of people created those game characters for their entertainment. Tabletop game players have to collect, assemble and paint their own terrain as well. Video game players get to explore vivid worlds created by teams of developers. All of the hours spent playing are not meaningless for tabletop gamers, especially once the power goes out. As gamers on both sides get older their tastes change as well. They tend to demand some more sophistication in the games they play and more immersion. As gamers get older they become working professionals and have more disposable income. This means that they demand a more diverse selection of models and higher quality and hereby higher priced collectables.

Last summer I had talked about the limited edition items from Games Workshop. The creator of the popular Warhammer Fantasy Battle system had released some special markers, rulers and templates for players to collect. Since the world of Warhammer was set in a fantasy world, complete with dragons, ogres and magic, the accessories had to reflect the same spirit. Dice had ancient symbols and skulls carved into them. The rulers and compasses were shaped with macabre icons as well and gilded with the details of medieval artists. These new markers would help distinguish the "hardcore" players from the crowd that used traditional rulers and dice. Collectors knew it would only be a matter of time before the science fiction game Warhammer 40,000 would also get the same treatment.

The company tended to focus the support on each system for full year intervals. Even years were often reserved for new fantasy releases and odd years usually went to 40K campaigns. The end of 2012 and start of 2013 saw several new items added for collectors. The templates for Warhammer 40K had every bit the attention to detail that the fantasy ones had. The markers were silver with gothic iconography made popular in the grim futuristic universe. They were made to look as if they had cool blue electrical sparks flowing between them. This was a good contrast to the gold reserved for the fantasy system.

Citadel, the hobby manufacturer for Games Workshop, also released new dice and objective markers, the Munitorum templates that were consistent with the universe as well. The dice had intricate, circuit-board-like lines carved into them. These new items were placed inside of a metal tin stamped and colored to look like a laser gun power pack. It's a perfect collectable for fans of the Imperial Guard and Space Marines. The objective markers were floating servo-skulls. The skulls were prevalent in the 40K universe, specifically for the human colonies. The servo skulls were made from the heads of devout followers of the Empire and fitted with robotic attachments and anti-gravity disks. They provided all sorts of uses for the empire, from recording audio and video to surveying sites too dangerous for living creatures. Some servo skulls had medical equipment and even weapons attached to them. They often accompanied Space Marines into battle and were most often found with Tech Priests (engineers) and officers. They were as ubiquitous and indispensable as the Droids in Star Wars mythos. It made great sense to turn them into objective markers for a game. Citadel saw an additional use for them though.

A second Servo Skull was released with a built in measuring tape. The front teeth of the skull could be pulled out to show off the bright red laser-like tape. Most tabletop gamers keep a folding ruler or tape measure handy but none have ever looked so cool! It is a good contrast to the traditional ruler created for the fantasy gamers.

There was actually something that Games Workshop had created a few years ago that was among the best accessories for tabletop gaming yet invented. In tabletop games there is a long standing rule called Line of Sight (LOS). When players have a firearm with a specific range then they check to see if all or only part of an opponent's character is exposed. Even partially covered characters can be shot at, however the person attacking suffers a penalty when rolling the dice. Sometimes a player on defense hides a character behind a sandbag or wall and assumes they have enough cover to be completely out of the LOS. Many a game has become heated, even between two good friends, because one player claims that they have a shot and the other does not concur. This ends up bringing a game to a grinding halt and often ends up with one party feeling like they are being cheated. What Games Workshop did was create an LOS laser. It had a curved tail that could be placed over a miniature and show exactly where the character could realistically fire. The laser would actually mark a crosshair on the target and not simply a red dot. It was one of the greatest tools a player could take with them especially to a tournament.

I wonder if any bad sport ever shot an opponent in the eye with the laser. As with all of the new accessories released, the laser LOS was a limited-edition item. Once GW and Citadel had sold out of the item that was it. More unique collectables would be released over the years to keep fans buying. If you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!