Games Workshop has unveiled its annual April Fools' Day gag, with a life-size Tactical Rock that pokes fun at the company’s ownWarhammersculpts. One standard in miniature tabletop gaming is the use of the “tactical rock” in many sculpts. The tactical rock exists to give a character a more dynamic pose, giving them something to be striding on top of as they point towards enemies or brandish their weapon at foes. It’s often used for named characters, helping them stand out on the miniatures table.
To celebrate April Fools' Day, Games Workshop has unveiled a life-size Tactical Rock for people to stand on duringWarhammerand40Kgames. Per the (joke) article announcing the new accessory on theWarhammer Communitysite, the personal podium is made out of “hard-wearing real-scale composite” and is perfect for standing on top of while gazing upon aWarhammerbattlefield.While the life-size tactical rock is a joke, a video posted toWarhammer’s YouTube channel shows that at least one version of the accessory is real.
Why The Tactical Rock Is The Perfect April Fool’s Gag
Tactical Rock Is Absurd, Pokes Fun At Games Workshop’s Own Habits
Games Workshop’s new Tactical Rock is a fantastically absurd April Fools' Day gag for a few reasons. One, it’s absurd enough that no one would actually believe that it’s real. Secondly,it pokes fun at Games Workshop’s own habits, as the company publishescountless miniatures per yearthat feature a character precariously posed upon a rock. Although the tactical rock has a practical reason for existing on many miniatures, seeing a unit of miniatures all balancing on their own rocks can be goofy-looking to say the least.
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The final reason is that the Tactical Rock is actually real, at least to an extent. While it’s unlikely that Games Workshop is going to mass-produce these life-size bases (we shudder at the thought of how much one would cost),the company should get good use out of its existing model at Warhammer World and at tournaments. We can very much see the Tactical Rock used as a victory podium at the end of major competitive tournaments over the next few years.
Our Take: We Actually Want The Tactical Rock
Tactical Rock Would Be Perfect For Game Stores
The life-size Tactical Rock is brilliant. In fact, it’s such a great idea that we actually would love to see some get made for stores or conventions.I think there are plenty ofWarhammerand40Kfans who would love to stand upon a tactical rock and strike a pose similar to theirfavorite Space Marine or xenos unit. Our only real question about the Tactical Rock is whether it would come with some extra skulls and accessories to allow for kitbashing and customization.
Warhammer 40K
Warhammer 40,000, often abbreviated as Warhammer 40K or simply 40K, is a miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop. Set in a dystopian science-fantasy universe, it is the most popular miniature wargame globally. Players enact battles using miniature models of warriors and vehicles on a tabletop battlefield. Since its first edition in 1987, the franchise has expanded into various media, including novels, video games, and board games.
