Review: Age of Sigmar Big Book

The Age of Sigmar Big Book (I'm calling it the Big Book so as not to confuse it with the line's overall title) is the first release of the "campaign structure" that AoS is toting to use. Here we continue the story presented in the Starter State and The Gates of Azyr, presented in a collection of fluff, scenarios, and artwork. How does it hold together? Let's check it out!

I went for the Collector's Edition because I have a hard time turning that down, I'm a sucker I know. The Collector's Edition comes in a white slip case featuring the Age of Sigmar logo in gold on the front and an image of Ghal Maraz and small blurb on the back. The book itself is a thick hardcover tome, with the same front cover as the regular edition but with gold print on the spine, gold page edges, a bookmark, and the same back cover as the slip case with the limited edition number on it (I have 1027 of 2000).

The book starts with a small introduction and then goes into the meat of the book. Nearly half the book is full of fluff, while the second half is a mix of fluff and scenarios/rules/warscrolls.

The fluff sections consist of a few standard layouts:
The standard sections of writings interspaced with artwork, be it models or original art.
1 to 2 page sidebars that contain charts, layouts, color schemes, etc.
2 page spreads with a little text down the left side (seen in many WD issues)

The 2 page spreads feature some absolute gorgeous artwork. The art overall is very good, but these pieces really show off how amazing and evocative the art can be.

Section 1: The Storm Breaks

We start by getting a look at our two main factions we've been seeing since the beginning; the Stormcast Eternals and the Khorne Bloodbound. This section basically gathers a lot of the information that's come out in bits and pieces in the previous fiction and WD articles. But there is some new information in there as well. We get a look at some of the force compositions for both sides and a lot of questions added as well.

For instance, we've only seen Warrior Chambers for the Eternals, but a chart shows there are Exemplar, Harbinger, Sacrosanct, Ruination, Extremis, and Auxiliary Chambers. Also, command comes out of the Heraldor, Judicator, Relictor, and Valedictor Temples, only a few of those names we've seen before. Similar to the Space Marines compositions I've seen, we get a cool two page spread of what a full Warrior Chamber would be (and like a full Space Marine layout would be) madly expensive. Things like a total of 9 Liberator Retinues that each contain 20 units (at $50 for 5, that would run you $1,800. Of course, nothing has said you need to field that many units, but I bet someone does and we'll see it online. We also see some command units that do not have models yet, but were mentioned in the Assault on the Mandrake Bastion, such as the Knight-Heraldor.

There is also another look at the various Stormhosts of the Eternals (I still like the green of the Celestial Vindicators) and the Warbands of Khorne in Azyr.

Besides some great art and a nice compilation of info that has been scattered, there isn't a whole lot of new information here. If anything, these would do well to make up the first respective chapters of Army Books if there were to be ones. As a side note, if there were pure/majority fluff Army Books released that just filled in some gaps about the composition, mindsets, armory, etc. of various factions, I'd buy them. Then again, I'm a fluff junkie.

Section 2: The Age of Sigmar

The Age of Sigmar section presents where the Realms are at the current moment of the storyline, what is going on right before and right as the Eternals make their first landings. While Chaos has been considered triumphant in their takeover of the Realms, the people still left aren't just waiting around for the Eternals to show up. In fact, not all the Realms could even be considered fully taken over. We learn of the mortal champion leading Chaos, Archaon, (yep, the same big bad guy from the Old World) and him helping to unit the four Chaos armies (he doesn't consider the Skaven as true Chaos and pays no heed to The Great Horned Rat) in their initial assault on the other Realms.

While most of the Realms are fully subjugated, with the few mortals surviving by hiding/running from various Chaos tribes, there are two in which the battles aren't quite over yet. In Shyish, the Undead are not going quietly against the forces of Chaos. Nagash was killed in the first assault, but then gets better after several years and comes back. Chaos just can't get a handle on killing things that keep coming back, much like they do. The battle of the Realm is never quite decided, but the story catches up with the Undead Forces nearly being taken out outside a Realm Gate to Azyr when the Eternals arrive to turn the tide.

Meanwhile, in Ghyran, while the forces of Nurgle are enjoying corrupting the abundance of life that the Realm has to offer. They are suddenly attacked by seemingly the forest itself, as the Sylvaneth faction comes to life and fights back.

It's nice to see the book acknowledges that the Realms shouldn't just sit around and wait for the Eternals to come around. There are things happening, and it opens up battles that aren't just your Eternals vs. Chaos.

Section 3: The Lost Ages

Oddly, after we see where the Realms are right before the timeline catches up with the present, we go back in time to a very quick overview of what has gone on before. In fact, I feel like these two sections should have been swapped, especially with the current battles coming as the next section after it.

The Lost Age expands upon the bit of information that was in the very first White Dwarf. We go over Sigmar drifting through space, him being discovered by Dracothion and shown the 8 Realms, and his visit upon all the Realms to unite them. There is a lot of bits to pull out of this section, we name drop all the major characters from the Old Realms as current gods and how Sigmar got them to to form a council. There are mentions to the fire haired Duradin mercenaries, Savage Orruks, how the Skaven can burrow into any Realm (Blight City, their home, was only pulled slightly in the Realm of Chaos and still touches all the other Realms), and more.

Read straight on, there isn't a lot that actually is told. Sigmar goes around the Realms, finds the named characters in trouble, helps them so they join his council and build the great Azyrheim. Eventually Chaos hears about this and decides to strike at the Realms. Chaos overwhelms the Realms, Sigmar retreats for centuries and then comes back with the Eternals. But it's digging up all the details that add a lot to what's going on. Not just the name drops, but the little things that go on.

We learn of the Allpoints, a sub-realm that has gates connecting all the Realms. We learn of Gorkamorka splitting and reforging into one/two beings and each time it signals a great Waaaagh. We learn about Nagash slipping away from the battle of Allpoints and Sigmar's barbarian pride actually costs the Alliance of Order the battle of Allpoints as he goes to pursue Nagash, leaving the battle and sealing the fates of the Realms. There are a lot of seeds for story here, I'd love to see more of it explored through fiction and more in depth articles.

Section 4: Battle Unbound

This is a small section that is once again a pimping of products section of the book. On one level, it's weird to see it here when White Dwarf is a much better vehicle for that sort of thing. However, it is also the first "major" book for AoS and it really does well to show off what could be coming. This section is 2-page spread after 2-page spread of model shots showing off nearly every Faction and Grand Alliance they will offer.

Section 5: Fire & Thunder

Another short section, this just explains the upcoming format of Battleplanes and then reprints the rules for you, just in case you don't have them.

Section 6: The Realmgate Wars Begin

Finally, the meat of the more game side of the Big Book, as well as starting the fiction beyond the Start Set's initial invasion by Hammerhand.

We see the initial battle launched by the Eternals on three fronts; within the Brimstone Peninsula on Aqshy (which continues on from the Starter Set), taking back the Kingdom of Greenglades in Ghyran, and the assault at the ruins of Elixia in Chamon.

For each one, we get the story of the assaults, both as narrative text and actual fiction. Each of these come form various points of view of the participating Factions. Spaced between these are Battleplans, scenarios that can emulate the various battles the stories touch upon. While each one is based on the narrative, they are set-up to be generic so you can use them as just scenarios to run with your favorite armies.

On top of that, there are two sets of general rules for fighting in Brimstone Peninsula and Greenglades. These range from new spells available, to specific terrain rules, to just overall rule changes to reflect the Realm. These add another layer of depth to your fight without disrupting the 4-page general rules.

Storywise, a few interesting things end up happening, that moves us into the next major release.

On the Brimstone Peninsula, Hammerhand defies his orders when he sees a vision of Khul placing Vandus' head atop a pyramid of skulls. Instead of holding the Realmgates, he moves to assault the 8 towers outside Khul's Red Pyramid. There, they learn, is a Realm Gate connected directly to the Chaos Realm where Khorne's daemons can endlessly appear. After many battles and loses on both sides, Vandus sacrifices himself, calling Sigmar to strike him down as he holds onto the portal, destroying it and ending reinforcements for Khorne.

In the Greenglades, the Hallowed Knights seek to secure a Realm Gate to Azyr, while also entreating with Alarielle to support the assault. Alarielle, going mad from Nurgle's corruption of her Realm, has been lost in memory far more than leading her armies against the Rotbringers. When the Hallowed Knights arrive, she fears Sigmar is also trying to take her Realm and dismisses them. Meanwhile, the Great Unclean One that has held sway in the Greenglades pulls himself from Nurgle's gardens to fight the Hallowed Knights, summoning massive amounts of daemons. The battle seems lost of the Hallowed Knights, until reinforcements from the Astral Lions appear. These are countered by Skaven from Clan Pestilens however, who are then countered by the Sylvaneth, finally joining the fray. The Great Unclean One is destroyed when he attempts to pull himself free of the portal to chase the Hallowed Knights Lord-Celestant, ripping the portals frame and causing a massive explosion that kills them both.

Lastly, in Chamon, the Celestial Vindicators manage to take a Realm Gate without battle, but soon a sorcerer of Tzeentch and his armies are upon them. The Vindicators push back, forcing the sorcerer back to his fortress, where the Eternals lay siege to it. The battle is going in the Vindicators favor until the fortress itself, a giant battery of magical energies built around an artefact too strong for any of Chaos to look upon, charges up and explodes in a flash of heavenly light.

Once reforged and before Sigmar, Lord-Cellestant Thostos Bladestorm tells him of the brillant light and explosion. Then, Sigmar knows, Ghal Maraz has finally been found.

This is by far the best part of the book, it moves the story forward, but also gives you a ton of scenarios to use in the game. This further cements the ability to play AoS as more than two armies smacking into each other. You can now run specific scenarios and link them together however you wish for your own narrative. You can pick a friend, pick 5 scenarios and see who is the first to win 3 (using the Major/Minor Victory rules as they are different each scenario as well). You can decide to play Battleplans from the Brimstone Peninsula section, mixed with the Elixia fights, but have it occur on the Greenglades and use their rules. As more books are released that add more specific Battleplans and location rules, you can easily ignore the over all story and create your own campaign to play out.

Section 7: Legends of War

The final section collects Warscrolls, mostly the units from the starter set, but also some Sylvaneth units as well. We also get a few Warscroll Battalions, which give you special bonuses for composing an army exactly as listed.


In Conclusion
So, is this book worth it? Well that depends on your stance of fluff over gameplay. While the Battleplans are awesome and add a ton of new ways to play on your table, they are a small part of the book. For the most part, this is a fluff piece and an art book, something it does very well. If you want to follow the story of Age of Sigmar, this book moves the game forward, if you want more gameplay options, they're in here too. However, the amount of pure gaming material is small compared to the rest of the book and while a lot of theses scenarios are interesting, if you're just into gaming, find someone who has the book or make up your own scenarios.

For me, though, it was quite a good read that shed some interesting facts on the past and present of the Realms.