BL/GW collaboration

[cheywood]

Apologies if this violates the site rules, but it feels like a relevant concept for BL at large.

 

GW/BL just announced The Hollow King and The Arkanaut’s Oath, two new AOS novels written by John French and Guy Haley respectively. The books each focus on a new character seemingly co-developed by the authors and the studio. The studio is introducing new models based on the main character of each book that will be involved to some degree in the wider lore.

 

I know we can’t talk about the books here, but I’m intrigued by the concept of BL authors creating characters with the studio instead of being commissioned for tie-ins after characters and story arcs have been created. I know some of this is happening in 40k with Dawn of Fire, but that seems far less direct than this. Would this concept work for 40k, which already has a rich library of characters and plenty of authors doing great work with their own corners of the setting?

Edited May 5, 2022 by cheywood

[Noserenda]

Theyve certainly tried to launch Character centric series before, usually to dismal failure. Though models might boost that somewhat! 

[DarkChaplain]

Was gonna point this out too. It's especially interesting because both of these characters had short stories in an event anthology last year iirc and also were part of the advent lineup.

 

I think it'd work pretty well for 40k as well. Especially now with the Votann being basically uncharted territory - and what's a Votann if not a 40k Kharadron which is an AoS Squat? I'm more surprised that this thing hasn't happened as much for 40k in general, like it did in the old days. They tried to go back to that for a bit, but usually just with a special character for BL Celebration - Eisenhorn, Severina Raine, Uriel Ventris, Gaunt's Ghosts, Ephrael Stern, Aleya & Valerian, but nothing at this BL Celeb iirc.

If anything, though, I feel like Forgeworld in particular is trying to create entirely new characters for the Heresy, even when there are existing novel characters already filling similar spots.

 

Frankly, I'd like to see Minka Lesk, Ciaphas Cain, Ufthak, Oltyx, Sister Augusta, in essence numerous characters from BL to get a model or at least some "iconic" option in a kit and at least a downloadable profile if not a full Codex entry. And with Era Indomitus unfolding, I'd say that there are many opportunities to work from the ground up with the authors to create new legends, rather than just putting out somebody like Primaris Captain / Lieutenant XY who is oh so cool but also so very generic with no background, over and over again.

 

So long as it's plausible that the characters will end up on a semi-random battlefield, I'd say it's safe to do. On the flipside, I don't think somebody like Erasmus Crowl and his retinue would make sense right now, because they've so far only worked on Terra (though it'd be cool to have Spinoza as an option for Imperial Fists specifically!) up to this point, so seeing them fight orks would be weird. But somebody like Minka or Ciaphas, who have seen everything anyway? Free for all.

[Petitioner's City]

Just as a reminder DC we had Zephon and Fafnir this year from BLfest :)

[Lord Marshal]

These don't seem to have any connection to a planned BL event beyond launching a new book series with the model, which is definitely an interesting new strategy. I remember Honourbound selling out the same day as Raine went up for sale, which is pretty impressive when she was a completely original character. Might be it's the success of that which is pushing this, particularly when we know BL is the part of GW that's lagging behind the success of the other branches.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Lord Marshal

[Noserenda]

Ooh good point, i had forgotten Hnourbound launched with the Raine mini. Have we had any word on a follow up to that yet? It was an interesting book, awful audio version though.

[cheywood]

Just as a reminder DC we had Zephon and Fafnir this year from BLfest :)

True, but that seems to me a different situation. Authors creating characters that later get turned into models without their input isn’t the same as an author and the studio co-developing a character for simultaneous use in novels and the setting at large.

[Petitioner's City]

 

Just as a reminder DC we had Zephon and Fafnir this year from BLfest :)

True, but that seems to me a different situation. Authors creating characters that later get turned into models without their input isn’t the same as an author and the studio co-developing a character for simultaneous use in novels and the setting at large.

I was responding to DarkChaplain saying this year there wasn't a BL model release; his examples included eisenhorn, and valerian and aleya. Fafnir and Zephon fit that model of giving existing characters models to provide a celebration model or models - that's all :)

[cheywood]

 

 

Just as a reminder DC we had Zephon and Fafnir this year from BLfest :)

True, but that seems to me a different situation. Authors creating characters that later get turned into models without their input isn’t the same as an author and the studio co-developing a character for simultaneous use in novels and the setting at large.

I was responding to DarkChaplain saying this year there wasn't a BL model release; his examples included eisenhorn, and valerian and aleya. Fafnir and Zephon fit that model of giving existing characters models to provide a celebration model or models - that's all :)

Gotcha. My bad for misunderstanding!

[Petitioner's City]

Sorry I wasn't clear!

[skylerboodie]

Might be it's the success of that which is pushing this, particularly when we know BL is the part of GW that's lagging behind the success of the other branches.

If BL is lagging other branches it's surely because the marketing and sales decisions for it are so badly run, it's like BL actively hates its readership and wants them to stop buying. Imho.

[Ubiquitous1984]

 

Might be it's the success of that which is pushing this, particularly when we know BL is the part of GW that's lagging behind the success of the other branches.

If BL is lagging other branches it's surely because the marketing and sales decisions for it are so badly run, it's like BL actively hates its readership and wants them to stop buying. Imho.

 

They’ve been tonnes better in 2022 tbf.  

[DarkChaplain]

 

 

Just as a reminder DC we had Zephon and Fafnir this year from BLfest

True, but that seems to me a different situation. Authors creating characters that later get turned into models without their input isn’t the same as an author and the studio co-developing a character for simultaneous use in novels and the setting at large.

I was responding to DarkChaplain saying this year there wasn't a BL model release; his examples included eisenhorn, and valerian and aleya. Fafnir and Zephon fit that model of giving existing characters models to provide a celebration model or models - that's all

 

You're right, I forgot those. Probably because they were marketed so hard, I just took them as a general Heresy release.

[Felix Antipodes]

I’m wondering if this will become a future trend spreading into the W40K side of the BL or if it’s an attempt to bolster sales for AoS, which I’ve heard are not so great on both the model and BL sides.

 

I admit that i have very little interest in the setting but character driven books from quality authors like French and Haley certainly got my attention in a way that generic setting book No 23 hasn’t (and yes I’m aware that both have written for the setting in the past - which is exactly my point).

[Grotsmasha]

I thought they missed a trick NOT having a character released along sideeach book of The Beast Arises from that book.

[aa.logan]

From Guy Hayley and Darius Hinks at the 2019 BL weekender talking about their Blood Angels books.

 

“ Psychic awakening. How closely working with the studio for consistency?

 

Gh- now we work very closely. To make sure it works, influence goes both ways. Had to fit the events of the book around studio plans,make some of the timing tricky. The psychic awakening is only just beginning, I’ve got other stories connected. All parts of the companies need to work together for extra realism. BL fiction is the universe.

 

Dh- everyone wants a unified ip. Studio writers check with BL.

 

Gh- notes go each way. When I took them on, the ba books weren’t as tied in, but long enough ago. The fortress monestary had no name. Loads of detail didn’t exist. It’s cool seeing my names in a codex.

 

Dh- there are loads of threads between our books. It’s really exciting working for BL now. It’s learnt from the HH.

 

Gh- I’ve tried to reach out. I know the right people to talk to. It’s working really well.”

 

These books are a natural development of this ethos, I suppose.