Topic: Animosity Campaigns RETURNS!

[Old Stonebeard]

That's right! Some of you may remember the name, and I'm pleased to say that we've returned in a new incarnation. Although our campaigns may be set in the Age of Sigmar now, I assure you that we still strive to deliver the same quality player experience as ever...

If you're interested, Animosity II - The Burning Winter is kicking off July 22nd and running for 5 weeks. We've set up a Discord server in lieu of the old forums, and are working to draw players from across the broader AoS community. Check it out: https://animositycampaigns.com/

Cheers,
- Unbrok Stonebeard

[Realjuan]

w00t w00t and new technology!!!

[GamesPoet]

Since this is W:AoS based, not much interest here.  Best of good fortune!

[Gankom]

Hey that's pretty fantastic to hear its still going to continue. Super cool. I'll spread the word and maybe drop into the discord server.

[Old Stonebeard]

Cheers Realjuan, Gankom!

Thanks for the well-wishes, GP, but you know I have to call you out on the "not much interest" statement. Considering how much you post in the AOS forum, I'd reckon you're at least Sigmar-curious That, and we've already converted NewGuy, Sir Cai Leonas, Beithir Seun, Big Time, Grumbaki, Raschier, Frogboy, Beoveld...

Unbrok

[GamesPoet]

Thanks for the well-wishes, GP, but you know I have to call you out on the "not much interest" statement. Considering how much you post in the AOS forum, I'd reckon you're at least Sigmar-curious That, and we've already converted NewGuy, Sir Cai Leonas, Beithir Seun, Big Time, Grumbaki, Raschier, Frogboy, Beoveld...

Unbrok

  Not sure why my polite way of saying no was taken as an opportunity to “call” me, although it does show a lack of wisdom in accepting such.  And then with your statement’s lack of credibility, these two items bring me to pointing out what is provided next in more detail.

Obviously using how much anyone posts in the W:AoS forum as a measure of their interest in W:AoS, and for that matter your campaign, such isn't an accurate way of forming your view.  Here's why ... your last post on Warhammer-Empire ... was June 5th, 2015.  Except of course if one counts posting here yesterday and today, July 13th and 14th 2020, to promote an "Animosity Campaign" that isn't using the Olde World, has a site where the name was pulled from the former group’s campaigns (no originality there for your W:AoS effort), and isn't being run by the key guys that were running the campaigns in the Olde World back in the day.  Welcome back, and maybe we'll see ya around posting in the W:AoS forum for more than just promotional reasons?  And by the way, as long as we’re at it, your last post here on June 5th 2015, before yesterday and today, was five years ago, and just before W:AoS was released.  I don't see a single post of yours in the W:AoS forum here on W-E anywhere, except yesterday and today, but maybe I missed one?  So although what minimal interest in W:AoS that I have goes into posting here on W-E, you’ve not posted in five years, and now you’re coming back here to call me on my choice not to have much interest in W:AoS.  Seems like I have plenty of reasons not to be much interested in your campaign either, and what little interest there was, it has been satisfied when it is has been seen for what it is.  So ... I've been called, I've called you, and I've raised ya as well.

Once again ... best of good fortune!

[Old Stonebeard]

Whoa, touchy much? I was just poking fun, as you seemed to be the most prolific poster in this subforum, yet espouse disdain for the game...


The only reason for my post is that many of Animosity's old crowd were drawn from W-E; I simply wished to extend an invitation to anyone here who had made the jump to Age of Sigmar and let them know we're back.

If you'd like to at least take a trip down memory lane, we do have a section dedicated to our WHFB campaigns: animositycampaigns.com/world-that-was/

I'd have dearly loved to add a more extensive archive, but unfortunately, the previous "key guys" allowed the site to crash and take everybody's contributions with it- or, in Draig's case, chose to cannibalize his own writings back off the site and leave gaping holes in the archives that did exist before his abdication of site maintenance flushed umpteen campaign's worth of collected work down the metaphorical drain.

Unbrok

[GamesPoet]

Whoa, touchy much? I was just poking fun, as you seemed to be the most prolific poster in this subforum, yet espouse disdain for the game...

Yep, and being a relatively prolific poster for 4 of the 6 original and major Animosity Campaigns, 1 of the 4 minor ones, 3 W-E Campaigns, and a GM for OGB Campaigns, the lesson for ya is don’t poke the bear.

The only reason for my post is that many of Animosity's old crowd were drawn from W-E; I simply wished to extend an invitation to anyone here who had made the jump to Age of Sigmar and let them know we're back.

If you'd like to at least take a trip down memory lane, we do have a section dedicated to our WHFB campaigns: animositycampaigns.com/world-that-was/

I'd have dearly loved to add a more extensive archive, but unfortunately, the previous "key guys" allowed the site to crash and take everybody's contributions with it- or, in Draig's case, chose to cannibalize his own writings back off the site and leave gaping holes in the archives that did exist before his abdication of site maintenance flushed umpteen campaign's worth of collected work down the metaphorical drain.

Unbrok

Yes, heard the rumors, and saw it deteriorate relatively rapidly, with the final two minor shows less than stellar, and the floor boards being ripped up in a less than appropriate manner.  Fortunately I have copies of my fluff from those wonderful days, and it continues to be part of my ongoing Warhammer fantasy world that lives on beyond GW’s End of Times malarkey.  However, as you're probably aware, there is word that GW is returning to the old days in the near future, yet we’ll see.

Your invite has been extended, perhaps some will participate.  Hope it works out for you.

[Old Stonebeard]

I'm well aware of your campaign credentials, GP. I seem to recall we spent a couple of hours on the phone one night, and your walls of text were second only to Mathi's!

I just wanted to set the record straight about the way in which the previous key guys ran Animosity into the ground before you got too misty-eyed about them.

"Old days" is a strong choice of words. If I were asked to guess, I would assume that with the Horus Heresy cash cow coming to a close, Forge World needs a new batch of suckers to milk. "Near future" is also very optimistic, as they said 2-3 years about 9 months ago. Regardless, I have no interest in whatever they do with "The Olde World" as I've found the remnant WHFB community to be incredibly toxic 

Thank you for the well-wishes, regardless! We had a strong showing out of the gate for Animosity I last year, and now that we've adapted our event model to accommodate the pandemic, I'm expecting even better turnout this time around.

Unbrok

[GamesPoet]

I'm well aware of your campaign credentials, GP. I seem to recall we spent a couple of hours on the phone one night, and your walls of text were second only to Mathi's!

I just wanted to set the record straight about the way in which the previous key guys ran Animosity into the ground before you got too misty-eyed about them.

Oh the irony.  Your distaste obviously wasn’t too bad considering that you’re using their campaign name’s credibility as a way to draw folks to your own events.  Instead of having to create something original and create a foundation on your own.

"Old days" is a strong choice of words. If I were asked to guess, I would assume that with the Horus Heresy cash cow coming to a close, Forge World needs a new batch of suckers to milk. "Near future" is also very optimistic, as they said 2-3 years about 9 months ago. Regardless, I have no interest whatever they do with "The Olde World" as I've found the remnant WHFB community to be incredibly toxic 

Speculation is a dime a dozen. And if ya thought enough before puking, you’d realize that GW helped create the toxicity that exists.  And evidently not only was there no posting from you in the W:AoS forum in five years, it appears ya haven’t done much reading here either.  Because those comments above seem to demonstrate that a link provided by one of our regular and quality W-E members just 5 days ago has an interview of a recent game designer’s view point of what happened at the time, and the article is quite informative …

I thought this was an interesting article on the last 5 years of AoS.

Age of Sigmar: A 5 year Retrospective ... https://www.goonhammer.com/age-of-sigmar-a-5-year-retrospective/

Additionally, when has GW not been interested in turning more than just a dollar in what they charge for their products, so no one is being fooled by your only pointing the finger at Forge World.  Plus “near future” wasn’t intended to be optimistic, so you’ve misunderstood my meaning.  It was intended to be open to the idea that it could take longer than what we’ve been told, and you’ll notice I closed with the following … “yet we’ll see.”  Just in case, those three words were immediately following "near future".  So feel free to continue speculating, it might make for good small talk, although the reality could be something entirely different.  Sometimes in life there are big picture perspectives that could be good, and wise, to keep in mind before continuing to poke the bear.  When the bear growls once, don’t be too confident that it won’t growl again. And remember ... there is a bear that the growl is emanating from.

[Old Stonebeard]

You may recall NewGuy and I were both on the campaign team by the time the site crashed due to Draig's negligence, so it's not like "they" and "we" are different entities 

I follow James Hewitt on Twitter; I'm well aware of his comments on what went down. In fact, Age of Sigmar's product developer Ben Johnson actually unfollowed me on Twitter after I voiced my condemnation of how AOS was launched. Real talk, you could write a college course studying how badly GW botched that reboot/release.

Regardless, fair enough. As I said, I only posted here as a courtesy. There is an incredibly vibrant AOS community across social media, and we wanted to resurrect these campaigns to bring people together in the way that they used to. So, I'll leave the bear in his cave; there's bigger fish to fry 

Unbrok

[GamesPoet]

You may recall NewGuy and I were both on the campaign team by the time the site crashed due to Draig's negligence, so it's not like "they" and "we" are different entities 

Unbrok, your wanting to have it both ways is more confirmation of what I already wrote above. And it is beginning to show a lack of understanding of the depth and width of what I've expressed.  Feel free to slow down, reread, and as Will Rogers said, "When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging."

I follow James Hewitt on Twitter; I'm well aware of his comments on what went down. In fact, Age of Sigmar's product developer Ben Johnson actually unfollowed me on Twitter after I voiced my condemnation of how AOS was launched. Real talk, you could write a college course studying how badly GW botched that reboot/release.

Then don’t come here taking a poke at the WHFB community thinking your comment won’t be countered. Some of the bears might have their back turned to playing W:AoS, and some of the bears are definitely enjoying the game.  Either way, it doesn’t mean we’re in complete hibernation when it comes to what is going on with GW.  Go take a look at the relatively recent polls in the Elector’s forum, and you’ll find one that shows how far back some of these folks have been involved with WHFB. Which means there could be at least a decent familiarity with what has been happening with GW, and perhaps for a few as far back as its inception.

Regardless, fair enough. As I said, I only posted here as a courtesy. There is an incredibly vibrant AOS community across social media, and we wanted to resurrect these campaigns to bring people together in the way that they used to. So, I'll leave the bear in his cave; there's bigger fish to fry 

This bear didn’t growl at that.  It growled at your deciding to poke it, and poke the WHFB community, too.  When a fish tries swimming up river in the wilderness, where they haven't been in five years, and starts poking, a bear could think the fish is testing the water a bit too much.  And a bear could decide to pull ya right out of the water, we wouldn't want ya drown.  However, we enjoy a good tasty meal from time to time, too.

[Gankom]

For those of us who are interested in the campaign, Goonhammer (The site I post a lot!) did a spiel on the new Animosity Campaign. Fancy trailer and everything!

https://www.goonhammer.com/community-spotlight-animosity-campaigns/

[GamesPoet]

Seems to be an enjoyable video there.

[Mathi Alfblut]

Sadly I have too much on my plate to be able to partake.

[Old Stonebeard]

Hope you can make it next time, Mathi! Fear not, however, for you legacy endures: a militia was raised from among the native turnip-farmers of Bolyany, a small town in the one almost-hospitable valley along the frozen shores of Lake Bykaal in the Realm of Death, and Kurgan converted a unit of them from his bitz box on the spot:


You can see the rest of his gallery, including WIP photos, here:
https://warbosskurgan.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-bolyany-irregulars.html

Turnips themselves also took on a life of their own during the campaign, as evidenced by this nugget of wisdom from one of our players:



I'm pleased to report the campaign itself was an incredible success, above and beyond anything we had hoped. In lieu of our old forum format, the campaign community coalesced in a dedicated Discord server. We averaged 200 reports per turn for each of the campaign's 5 turns, and to put that in perspective, that's an average of 3 reports per player, with games played being in the minority of reports- most were writing, hobby, storytelling, or arts & crafts. Campaign themed food in particular became a popular arts & crafts report...



Shortly after we realized we needed to bring back Da Pit for smack talk, Da Pit was repurposed into Da BBQ Pit for food pictures and we had to start another channel called the War Retort for smack talk... although it overlapped at times, as evidenced in this faction-based recipe:



... which in true Animosity fashion, then got hijacked by the greenskin players:



We saw an absolute avalanche of original writing, and a great deal of very creative hobby, including inspiring Sir Cai Leonas to finally paint his horses:



Gameplay itself remained as cut-throat as ever, with players becoming incredibly invested in the stakes.



I made the mistake of not actually designing diplomacy into this iteration of the campaign, which was promptly introduced by the players- with its usual mixed results:



I didn't design diplomacy in because it always results in hard feelings, and did yet again when the diplomatic envoys from one Good Guy faction went to treat with representatives from another Good Guy faction, and got 1. bombed and 2. ambushed for their efforts.





We also had several Soulbound groups- the AOS spiritual successor to WHFRP and published by Cubicle 7, the same outfit which now publishes WHFRP- playing concurrently, including an all-greenskin group. For the first time in campaign history, players regularly gathered in voice calls, both for Soulbound and just for hobby hangouts:



We were also very lucky to have Cubicle 7 CEO Emmet Byrne and Soulbound playtester Luke Stone join the Discord server to help gamemasters learn the system. But, more than anything...

... we were lucky to draw an absolutely incredible group of players, of which 90% or more had never heard of, much less played in, Animosity Campaigns previously. Watching the community come together and forge new friendships and stories together was definitely the highlight of the campaign for the Team.








So yeah! It really was a wonderful time, and as before, you're all welcome to come play with us next time. We learned a lot, and we're confident we can deliver an even better experience going forward.

Cheers,
Alex

[GamesPoet]

Seems like a success, congrats!

[Gankom]

Well done, very impressed.

[Old Stonebeard]

aaand we're back! Crazy how time flies when you're in a pandemic, huh?

https://animositycampaigns.com/

Today marks the start of Da Warpath, our prelude period before Animosity III - The Prime Dominion, a five-week narrative campaign that will kick off July 14th. We've completely overhauled the website and added a tonne of new content, including orginal stories, illustrations, and this sweet map:



Everyone's welcome, same as always. We hold hobby hangouts in the voice channel every Saturday at 6pm EST, so please, stop by and say hello.

Cheers,
Old Stonebeard

[Gankom]

Looks great! Thanks for the heads up Stonebeard.

[Warlord]

Do you know what map builder was used for that?

[Old Stonebeard]

Do you know what map builder was used for that?

Indeed I do- we drew it ourselves! I made the initial sketch, Warboss Kurgan built it out from there, and my wife edited together the final digital version. Kurgan posted a breakdown on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CO5yH7qn4us/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Also, here's the updated version with the different player teams colored in:



Old Stonebeard

[Old Stonebeard]

With so many new players coming in (including a few familiar faces from here!) over the last couple of weeks, Beithir Seun (for those who remember him) wrote up a New Player's Guide for those just starting with our brand of global narrative event. Read all about it here:

https://animositycampaigns.com/2021/06/10/get-started-with-animosity-campaigns-today/

Can't wait to get the campaign rolling in earnest here in another few weeks 

Old Stonebeard

[Gankom]

Very neat!

[Old Stonebeard]

For those who remember The Good Old Days (and those who weren't around for them!) we've written a retrospective:

https://animositycampaigns.com/2021/06/12/a-brief-history-of-animosity/

Old Stonebeard