Category: news

The Tales of Beedle the Bard to be published!

The BBC reports on the publication of the The Tales of Beedle the Bard:

A collection of fairytales penned by Harry Potter author JK Rowling is to be published to raise money for a children’s charity.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which Rowling first mentioned in The Deathly Hallows, will go on sale on 4 December.

A handwritten copy of the book was sold at auction for £1.95m last year.
Rowling wrote and illustrated seven copies of the book, but offered only one for sale. It was thought the book would never be published.

I expect many Potter fans are very happy about this.

You will be able to buy a standard edition and a special collector’s edition.

Merlin

Straight after the final episode of Doctor Who the BBC ran a (very) short trailer which basically consisted of the following screen.

Merlin

A look on the BBC wesbite reveals nothing at the time of writing.

So I did a quick Google search and found this article on the Guardian from 2005.

Merlin is one of a number of dramas being developed for the 7pm Saturday slot following the runaway success of Doctor Who earlier this year, which is credited with reviving family viewing.

The new BBC1 drama would concentrate on Merlin’s early life. In literature and on screen Merlin has been variously portrayed as a key figure in the Camelot story, acting as King Arthur’s adviser, poet and magician, but also as a villainous character.

There is also a later article from the Guardian from this year which has more detail, notably that Anthony Head is in the series.

The BBC has started filming on Merlin, a fantasy drama about Arthurian legend featuring Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Little Britain star Anthony Head and One Foot in the Grave’s Richard Wilson.

The 13-part drama will be broadcast in the autumn and stars a trio of newcomers as the young Merlin, Arthur and Guinevere.

Head will star as Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, while Wilson will play court physician Gaius in the Saturday teatime BBC1 series, slated for the family drama slot occupied by the likes of Doctor Who and Robin Hood.

The drama will be set in the mythical city of Camelot, and focus on Merlin as a wizard on the brink of adulthood who clashes with a young Prince Arthur.

Looks interesting. Sounds similar in style to the BBC’s Robin Hood.

Apocalypse Reload

Normally when Games Workshop release a supplement, they release a bundle of stuff over two or three months, then ignore it for ages until they re-release it or ignore it for ever!

Remember Cityfight and Cities of Death?

What about Armageddon?

Well it appears that Apocalypse is somewhat different.

There was the usual two or three months of new releases last September – remember the BaneBlade!

However with the release of fifth edition of Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop are publishing a new Apocalypse book, Apocalypse Reload.

This doesn’t appear to be a new version of the old book for the new version of Warhammer 40K, but a supplement to the original Apocalypse rulebook.

Check the blurb from the Games Workshop website.

Apocalypse Reload is a supplement to the hugely popular Apocalypse book, crammed full of more than 50 exciting new datasheets, new strategic assests specific to each Warhammer 40,000 army, and an Apocalypse battle report that has to be seen to be believed!

Well I am not sure if it is that good it “has to be seen to be believed” but I think I may be getting a copy.

Inside Warhammer 40K 5th Edition

Games Workshop have published a couple of previews of the new 5th edition Warhammer 40K.

Better than ever, the new rulebook updates and develops the rules, adding new detail and clarification to create a fast paced, exciting and rewarding gaming experience. But it’s not just the rules that have been expanded, you will also find within its pages a mammoth background section, going into depth like never before to delve into the races, conflicts and history of the 41 st millennium.

Read more on the background in the book.

Read more on the hobby section in the book.

There will be a third preview soon.

Overall I am looking forward to the new rules and will probably buy the new rulebook – and the boxed set when that comes out in September.

Update April 2011: the GW links no longer work.

Sisters of Battle Immolator

One of the vehicles Simon has in his collection is this very nice Sisters of Battle Immolator.

The Immolator is a design exclusive to the Ministorum, based upon the ubiquitous Rhino chassis.

Immolators carry deadly twin heavy flamers, multi-melta, or heavy bolters. As well as its armament, the Immolator can carry a squad into the heart of the enemy army.

Sisters of Battle Immolator
Sisters of Battle Immolator

This is a really nice model and I like what Simon has done with it.

More pictures of Immolators.

Heresy today, heresy tomorrow, heresy soon

Well after the announcement that the Black Library was no longer going to produce Dark Heresy raised a few eyebrows, especially after the initial print run sold out it was interesting to read that there may have been reason behind the madness.

According to a press release from Fantasy Flight Games they now have the licence to publish the role-playing, board and card games set in the Games Workshop universe.

Fantasy Flight Games (“FFG”) and Games Workshop (“GW”) jointly announced today that they have reached an agreement for Fantasy Flight Games to become the exclusive publisher of board games, card games (including collectible card games), and roleplaying games based on Games Workshop’s family of renowned intellectual properties including Warhammer Fantasy Battles and Warhammer 40,000.

Further down the press release we read:

FFG will continue production and new-product support for the Universal Fighting System CCG, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay RPG, and the new smash-hit Dark Heresy RPG.

So it looks like Dark Heresy is here today and will be here tomorrow.

Dark Heresy Rulebook

The new Dark Heresy will be released in July 2008.

You can pre-order from Amazon.co.uk.