Gundam Assemble: Everything we Know (So Far) + GBWC USA Discussion!

[@saltytroopa6578]

Just gonna take the rules and apply em to 144 scale. The map would be the size of my home.

[@dropflyball]

Would be cool if the game were to be played with HG models

[@xguy2950]

@@dropflyballyou could if you want to but it depends on the group their probably would be people who would wanna play with the hg scale

[@owightex]

NEO ZEONG、GP03DENDROBIUM「Hi!」

[@azure8696]

That would be perfect and honestly how they should've approached this....

[@LittleIAO]

It's not as large a table as you think! I'm totally doing it.

[@ImmortalStrain]

Bandai did make a post clarifying the Assemble starters. It's $35, includes 3 Gundams/Units PLUS the TCG Starter Deck as it's actually a collaboration item set for July. Edit: This leads to the actual Assemble starter/Core and rules coming later in 2025 most likely.

[@AzraelThanatos]

I kind of assume that the actual starter sets for Assemble will be more than 3. One thing that was shown somewhere, one of the videos on it talked about it where the full runner/sprue for the RX-78-2 one is the gramps with the guntank and guncannon for it, so I'm assuming that the actual starter sets will be something like that plus a sprue of ones for grunt suits. so perhaps that plus one of GMs or Balls. Then a fold out map, rulebook, counters, and dice.

[@LittleIAO]

I am a Gunpla hobbyist and Warhammer 40k player (among others) and I am more excited to see how this goes than anything Games Workshop has done in many years.

[@foreverfornever1124]

Im also in both hobbies as well, but Im not as excited for it as I initially was. Once I found out it was just a skirmish board game I kinda lost interest. I dont think this would ever touch 40k or any larger wargames. This would compete with the smaller skirmish games like Necromunda and Warhammer Underworlds at least. Not to mention the numerous amounts of other companies getting into skirmish games nowadays. Sales I think would do great simply because they are model kits at the end of the day but as far a game system goes I dont see it getting too far. Although I would love to see a full scale wargame someday

[@RevanR]

Gundam Assemble seems like Battletech meets X-Wing meet Warhammer Underworlds with that hexagonal base, but what surprising is the Ship (Archangel)

[@ChrisZestyJesty]

Yea, as a huge Battletech fan (I'm part of a battletech podcast) and a big gundam fan this is like a perfect storm for my wallet. Lol!

[@First-Name_Last-Name]

Personally, I'm a bit sceptical regarding the Gundam Assemble longevity if it's greenlit. Bandai Namco has a history of pulling the plug early for new line/series if early sales are not as they expected.

[@chrisyoung1576]

yep

[@isaiasvazquez5792]

"if"? it's not?

[@cenncenn9765]

duh, that's why if you want the line or series to succeed, support it

[@peacemaker00]

Battletech, being the closest comparison does have rules for both hex grid and full terrain play, so it is feasable to have rules for both.

[@stephenrossi1918]

I used to collect Warhammer and play the game occasionally with my friends when I was a kid. As soon as I saw the figure for my favorite Gundam, Deathscythe Hell my reaction was: "Bandai, take my money!"

[@skiano]

My only gripe with my country's GBWC rules is that we can't enter using regular Bandai Gunpla kits. We’re required to buy kits with 'Bankee' stickers-Bankee being the official local distributor here in the Philippines. This rule really limits our choices since their stores only carry a limited selection of kits. Another issue is how they handle the awarding ceremony. The stage is placed in front of the display area, so the audience has to watch from the sides, other floors, or online.

[@isaiasvazquez5792]

How is the Bankee sticker thing even enforced?

[@skiano]

@isaiasvazquez5792 when its time to display the piece you need to show them the gunpla box it came with and it has the bankee sticker on it. It sucks when you enter multiple kits you had to bring it to the event 😂, i seen people brought their boxes of sazabi verka and multiple mg boxes

[@nobody-bt7mu]

Damn that's a stupid rule.

[@skiano]

@@nobody-bt7mu cuz it is lol, i had to scoundrel kits in marketplace to find what i need 😂

[@paxxxnan1231]

Finally some Crisis suit size gundam models. Was going to use HGs for my riptide but had nothing for the crisis suits. Models look amazing.

[@RAP-SKULLION]

I've been playing a Gundam tabletop for years using GURPS. From the details released so far I'll probably keep doing that.

[@goblynteeth4870]

Promoting Gbwc more would be great, it would feel like the global event that it is if Bandai would hype it up. Also it’s tough even finding an in person location to even participate in the US. And I always hear about the difficulty of following the rules and still being disqualified with no explanation.

[@kylebalfore1574]

I'm excited for this. Not so much for the game since not that big where I am but so I can build, paint and set these up in my cubicle at work.

[@icyham]

Love the shirt! Got one as well! Thanks for all the videos!

[@robinrondo]

Great breakdown for Gundam Assemble 🙏👏

[@JJTheDev]

regarding the tcg collab sets, some pics of the showcases hinted that the UC/RX-78 starter set would be the gundam, the guntank and the guncannon, since they were runner A1, A2, and A3 (that plus its called "Heroic Beginnings") and yea, the tcg set also comes with a whole starter deck, so that definitely eats some of the cost of that set also, the tweet discussing this collab only really mentions "put the mini on the associated card" which is kinda funny

[@DarkeLourd]

Operation V starter set would be one great way to do things, but the associated TCG starter deck is prominently featured as 0079 plus Witch from Mercury, so I'm kind of expecting gramps, Aerial, and either a GM/Demi Trainer or if we're lucky White Base.

[@SHINTAB]

7:55 Oh hey, that's a GM White Dingo type Could be an indicator that there'll be more Rise From The Ashes units released in this new line

[@barrybb5409]

Yep and its posed in the jpn dreamcast cover.

[@AnythingButOnes]

Can’t wait for Gundam assemble!

[@NeoSlashott]

I wish the runners were like Nichimo Macross 1/200 mini kits (very vintage ones I do remember as a kid) where parts are basic articulated (moveable arms and legs) instead of fixed pose.

[@DenverMax-l5l]

GBWC's major issue is a lack of care from the local distributor, Bandai Namco USA. It goes beyond a "lack of marketing," in my assessment because everything is so haphazard and seemingly thrown together at the last minute, with almost zero consistency in submission deadlines, judging criteria, where and when qualifiers and winners are announced, etc. from year to year. So far, Bandai USA's hobby social media accounts haven't even posted who the winners this year are! It all adds to a sense of resignation and malaise amongst Gunpla modelers in the States; if the local Bandai office doesn't care, why should they? Bandai USA seems to just think of GBWC as a forgettable, vibes-based fun thing "where even beginners can win!" that they put the bare minimum effort into running and promoting, let alone being transparent with how and why they make the decisions that they make. MOST other countries treat their GBWC contests like the Olympic trials... they're trying to give their country the best possible chance to win on the world stage. The way GBWC USA is conducted seems very unserious in comparison, which is probably why America gets so frequently embarrassed at the world finals and has never once even gotten close to a top 3 finish.

[@FatherKarl]

Definitely interested in the game!

[@elmohawk2391]

Ohlala, i just want to collect them all!

[@goawayinternet]

Kapooooooool! Need this for the Kapool.

[@I3oo1ve]

If they want to tell more people about GBWC they can start putting a flier with the model kits.

[@tylergabriel561]

Gundam wing minis, I'm sold

[@brushfire248100]

The only issue I have is, usually diaramas usually win. Which would be better if it was a separate category with 2 winners

[@darktitan3025]

Hey Zack, regarding the best of 2024, i recommend you check out the Hasegawa YF19 Battroid kit. Its a HUGE improvement over their old Macross kits (at least in terms of engineering and stability).

[@kenzogrenas7084]

as a DnD, Battle tech table top player the Assemble line makes me skeptical. Figures for the table top game may be affordable but that is not only thing your gonna need to start your campaign. Your gonna need also Rules books, Character books or Mobile suit books, stat sheets, some of us know that not all unit figures share the same stats or skills, a likely campaign scenario would be if you have more than 1 Rx 78 or multiple players who want to play Wing 0 in the table campaign, these are needed to be factored in as well.

[@happy_camper]

happy belated new year!

[@andrebarbosa224]

Use the game board with ship minis for overall play but then switch to hg 1/144 (or Gundam Artifact) when MS launch and use a large table/map

[@rey-o]

I got into both gunpla and miniature games around the same time as a kid, I’m looking forward to Gundam Assemble, it feels like a game for weirdos like me 😂 I think the USA GBWC winners should have been announced at a different event, something dedicated to the hobby or just reveal it on the official site. Additionally they should have announced the top three on stage at least.

[@whitewing2]

GBWC nowadays in the Philippines are so strict You need to Pre-register first before joining, more like a screening or audition Many people felt lost interest when their entries were rejected because of small Details that they don't even explain A local Gundam Contest known as Gundam Model Kits Contest that is OOTB only with repaints had more participants because they had no pre-registration, like how GBWC was pre pandemic in short "There is no Freedom in Gunpla" in GBWC

[@BLAZE084]

Toro Hachi is classified as a Mobile Suit. Petit MS as they referred to it in the OVA

[@sintexgraff]

I won 3rd place for the 10th university....and I would like to discuss some issues... I also feel that the Hobby town 1st place winners from each state should have been promoted and marketed correctly

[@joshtucker256]

The minis might be cool. Not huge into the TTGs. As for GBWC, it has so much potential, but such a lack of interest from Bandai. Its sad that they did not include announcing the 2nd and 3rd place winners at the Orlando event. You should have included the winners for the U-20 in the video as they also deserve recognition for their work and accomplishment. I agree with you that there was not much promotion for the US. I hardly saw any info on the event from Bandai US's side. Even the offline contest schedule locations list wasn't released until 11/18 and 13 of the 21 offline events listed had already taken place. The Hobbytown that is nearest to me that was participating did not promote it at all on social media. I had to message and call the store to see if they were even hosting it. When I asked about it the employee from Hobbytown (who was running and judging the event) he said they put up flyers in the store to promote it. I saw 2 sheets of paper that said GBWC and the date. I participated in the local event and for the event itself, it was very lack luster. You could bring your builds in from 12p-4p and it was great to be able to see the works coming in and chat with the other builders, but beyond that there was nothing else to do. The judging was done by the employee at Hobbytown but the employee told me they were not going to follow the GBWC rules for judging. I did win 2nd for that event, but Im questioning my win and how fair it was for everyone participating if the GBWC rules were dismissed and what the criteria became. They also told everyone (except the winner) to enter the online contest, but I thought we had to do that to participate. Bandai and Bandai US should... 1) do better at promoting it as an event in the US and not just something that happens and hold to the format that they post. Maybe they could combine it with another Gundam Base Tour for GBWC13. The Gundam base tour was wildly huge for my Hobbytown this past year and there were lines and lines of builders and interested people. 2) have a better signup system for the offline contest. If you pick the offline option you get to pick the one Hobbytown location you are going to participate in and that store will have you on a list that you will check in for at that event. If you are not on that list you do not get to participate in the local event. Also if you are not a winner for that offline event then you are automatically entered into the online contest. 3) have at least 1 Bandai US rep to run and judge the event to make sure that A) the judging is fair and constant between the online and all of the offline events B) they stop anyone who is cheating by jumping from Hobbytown to Hobbytown just so they can get a win 4) Have the separation of U-20 and O-21 at the offline events. My Hobbytown has not done this the last 2 years. I don't know if other hobbytowns did or not... This could be such a cool thing but Bandai just continues to not care about the US. Ill step off the soap box now, its free for anyone else...

[@TheSquidder]

The only reason I knew the winners were announced was because Ryan posted his winning entry. (Congrats Ryan!) It's really sad, Bandai hobby posts daily about various things like gunpla duel missions but never anything about gbwc.

[@FOXZILLA5734]

Gundam meets warhammer in a tabletop game is a match made in heaven TBH, exactly what I imagined a Gundam board game would be like, im very interested.

[@Sai1523]

If they do release in a pack I wonder what will be bundled with the Kapool

[@tfGalvatron1]

have you ever posted anything about that SD hazel thats over your shoulder? I always get distracted by all the stuff on your shelves lol

[@patrickleslie-s6c]

Yeah I definitely wish Bandai would promote GBWC more. It is frequently an after thought for me. If it weren’t for other people tweeting about it I’d constantly forget that it was even happening. I haven’t entered but I really enjoy seeing the entries.

[@CalledTurnAGundam]

I have a feeling this will last longer than their latest attempt at a TCG.

[@commodorenostrils]

I’m not really into games but I really want to build and paint those bitty Gunpla.

[@Hoplon719]

Definitely will buy

[@foreverfornever1124]

Its possible Bandai has been gauging interest for a miniatures game for some years now considering their smaller offerings in model kits over the past decade. I like that they have a TCG game as well but Im not sure releasing 2 experimental game platforms so close to each other is a good idea, but its smart on them for doing a collab with both. Bandai-Namco has been bit rocky as of late with new concept games so I do question the longevity of this game. Model sales I think would do just fine but as far as a game system goes Im not sure how invested they are in terms of function of the games rules and the ever evolving soon to be player base, especially if it were to ever go competitive

[@GizmoHatake]

The worst part of gbwc was even the hobby towns that were running in store competitions were not promoting the contest at all the store near me had a in person competition and their advertisement was a little sticker on the door that most people would miss. I missed the date and had a friend who went and said there was only like 6 people who showed up and entered

[@Mark-sd4hv]

Don't know how well the game itself will do, but I expect the figures to sell very well

[@kidrobot.]

probably not very well. they had a few board games already

[@Geekeric]

So the story is that these will be hellishly expensive for what they are? At least painting minis won't swallow the rest of my life.

[@giovannistefani6990]

premise, i am in europe so things are different, but regarding gbwc i saw on the gram kinda some complaining about both the winner/not winners and the ceremony so i guess bandai really can do more regarding its working, especially as promotion on different channels

[@childofmecha]

2019 GBWC was such a good time. :)

[@fabricated-j5q]

so this is where the time and effort went, not the MG line

[@frankreynolds6831]

From first glance it looks like itll play like Robotech. Im in it for the minis. Also I havent tuned in for a few year. Have you moved back to the states, am I reading the description right?

[@dean4696]

😮 $30 for 3 of those is reasonable? I may be missing something but that’s how much like half of the RG line costs in the US. Like $23 is where it ceases to sound completely insane. I think $17-$19 is where it begins to sound reasonable.

[@SabreXT]

A multi hex unit means that it doesn't fit in a single hex. ...I know that sounds like a joke, but usually that's what it means. Many games have special rules for larger units, but not all, and the rules vary from game to game. As for the boards. I agree the diorama not being a game board. But I recommend looking up some Battletech or Dropfleet Commander boards to see how modelled boards can look. The coloured hexes seem to be special terrain, as the space map doesn't have any but the ground map does.

[@DorkSideStudio]

Assemble models will only come with one fixed pose or will come with options? The price seems about right for minis, I thought it was good compared to Games Workshop but you get much more for 150-200 in those. Game itself looks really plain right now though. Maybe later they have terrain unless it's all space fights.

[@SOLIDEST]

The least they couldve did was to stream or hold a seprate show for the show and showcae all the winners and put some respect on their hard work, but who we are kidding , its bandai and they most certainly never did or will give any shit about it when it comes to our side.

[@HaohmaruHL]

I'm surprised Bandai even went this route to begin with considering how incredibly niche the tabletops/miniature hobby is in Japan. Especially considering all the aversion towards anything foreign and the fact that it has to compete with the much cheaper and much more varied plastic model and figurine market. And even the trading card game industry. Hell, I doubt it will succeed even against the huge line of gundam related capsule toys, which nobody holds you from using instead of having the dedicated tabletop miniatures. It's basically dead on arrival for the home market. All things considered this new gundam miniature thing is clearly aimed at the western market instead.

[@rhysigo]

GBWC UK had a sizable influencer program but not from the Gunpla community - instead from Warhammer (which is obviously much more popular in the UK). Influencers were given free kits to make a video etc promoting GBWC. They also ran a Influencer subdivision for these people. These people then made timed posts to coincide with Bandai UK postings around GBWC. From a business and awareness point of view I think it was a good idea but the lack of transparency of who was being sponsored to enter/promote was a bit icky. Allowing these influencers to enter the main competition to (which one influencer then placed) feels a bit unethical (i.e. it's in Bandai's business interest that an influencer at leasts places so they can get more social traction from them). Not much fanfare around the announcement of winners either. I find GBWC a fun competition to see a lot of entries but hard to take seriously. I feel a lot of winners often win on diorama quality rather than the Gunpla model quality and a lot of said diromas tend to have parts that I think break the rules as they are written.

[@zachhughes9149]

To finally release their own rules is great. But to do so in a way that disqualifies their entire preexisting gunpla library from the game and severely limits the ability of the players to field custom models/minis is crazy, very crazy.

[@Dust_Bin_Gaming]

It IS really odd that Bandai US has had the saying that 'even beginners can win!', when they don't even market it enough for such beginners to even know about GBWC to begin with! They don't even do much marketing, period, from what I've seen. Feels like they just don't actually care, beyond the occasional livestream, where they don't even engage with chatters much. (feels like a change in heads is sorely needed, to get the US side back on track, and up to par with the rest of the world. :/ )

[@89athrun]

Marketing for GBWC and just really Gunpla in general is really needed in the States. unless you are already in the hobby or introduce people to it yourself it is not really marketed here. Models in general are hard to market.

[@douggoins2960]

I would prefer an official tabletop game using gunpla. I know there are a couple out there, but i woulnt mind if bandai made some kind of digital/irl type of game using gunpla

[@bretts1646]

I am kind of shocked that Bandai doesn't beat the drum every year of "look at the cool things people do with our products" until people are sick of hearing of it. The restrictions on not being able to make content about entries and whatnot are very silly. It's like they don't want to run this contest but feel obligated because people like participating.

[@Aserbic]

My guess is the game will be a mix of a boardgame with cards and dice. Look up "Girls frontline: Luftberry Chess" Or just like 40k tabletop. OR Tabletop gameplay style of SD Gundam G generations.

[@Taigawithapen]

Ive been building for over a decade and have always wanted to enter GBWC but in America they make it so complicated and Bandai is not clear enough with their communications to make the entry process more easy. I looked at their site several times this year and had a difficult time understanding when and where I could participate. It's a shame because it felt like Bandai really wanted to get more involvement on a worldwide scale a few years ago but covid really put a damper on that. I'd love to see more interest and care put into the American lead up of the GBWC for sure.

[@xromulanx]

Sick Fall of Troy shirt

[@ZakuAurelius]

Thanks!

[@hyperionhelios190]

do you know when the bandai bonsai kit is releasing?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Unfortunately not. I saw the price tag and noped out 😅

[@kxgr9522]

I can hear my wallet screaming It knows very well that a lot of money will be spent on army building Zakus and GMs I hope they give us minis of all UC suits and not ignore the less popular stuff

[@do_i_really_exist]

PLEAS BUILD/REVIEW THE MASS PRODUCTION EVA

[@dillondecker3661]

Sick Doppleganger shirt dude

[@DanKun-b7b]

I hope Warhammer could Collab with Gundam so I hope we can see a fully grade kits Warhammer model kits... Caz that would be sick as heaven

[@misteridiot]

I don’t want GW getting their hands anywhere near Gundam.

[@joshuasmith3114]

I want to get the minis so bad! Kinda sad they r not color separated :( im not a huge mini painter guy….

[@vustvaleo8068]

Captain America: "GUNDAMS ASSEMBLE!!" Iron Man: "what?" Captain America: "what?"

[@rockblockstudio]

I think Bandai trying to cash in on the more recent Gundam hype from WfM and SF is good, but we’ve seen these type of spin off projects before so I’m cautious. They’re entering one market with the card game that is already so oversaturated with so many other tcgs and the other which is heavily dominated by Warhammer. It’s also coming at a time where Warhammer interest is increasing due to things like Space Marine II taking off. For GBWC, I think Bandai was just more interested in generating interest for these new products than they were about announcing the winners, which is classic business 101. People entering and winning GBWC are going to more than likely stick around. They want new consumers. They’ll probably push a bit more when the final round of winners are announced in Japan. For this year, yeah I knew GBWC was happening, but I didn’t know the winners were announced, which is unfortunate since the winners do deserve to be recognized

[@falconhunter88]

If they make a solo campaign, i may get it. Really dont want a dead game just wasting space

[@fondedood4445]

I sort of wished that Gundam Assmble would disrupt the miniature market. But nope, it’s a worse per-miniature value when comparing it to a newer Warhammer miniature. insert Obi-Wan “You were the chosen one!” meme here

[@kidrobot.]

thumbnail trickery 😢

[@Zanzibar354]

Why can’t gbwc USA just be structured the same as it is in Japan. Every year it feels like USA gbwc organizers are grasping at straws trying to put out the minimum.

[@danzerdragoon]

Hey ZakuAurelius! I’m the guy who took first for the US and I definitely feel as you do about winning. It’s a huge privilege to represent the US in Japan and that’s enough for me 😅. On the competition side, I had to work really hard to stay up to date on when, where, and how to enter. My local tournament location and time wasn’t announced until 2 weeks prior to the competition on the GBWC website. I was checking it daily for several months leading up to the announcement. Last year it was announced much farther in advance. This year also required you to choose either in-person or online entry. But both required you to register and submit photos. Which I really appreciated, because most hobby towns in the US don’t set up fancy photo booths and use DSLR cameras. My worry was that the store would submit the photos they took with their phones as our entries, if we won. More hype generation is sorely needed. At my local competition in Oregon there were about 10 entries. But the level of competition is dependent on the competitors. Most in my immediate area don’t compete like I do and some didn’t even know about the GBWC. After winning locally your photos are judged by Bandai regionally and then nationally. I found out about the win two weeks before Orlando and it was a rush to get everything sorted. I will say, the venue was very energetic with a large and interactive crowd. Even though it was a card fest where it was announced, they had a nice Gundam base set up and lots of visitors were there to shop the gunpla. But, the GBWC aspect of the convention was definitely a small part of the whole picture. Which is fine, because it was a card fest. If you want to talk more about the whole experience let me know! And thanks for your content. Been an enjoyer for years. ❤

[@ZakuAurelius]

Thanks for sharing and congratulations! We’ll definitely have to arrange a time to talk!

[@misteridiot]

I’m really bad at painting.

[@timtam_studio]

Thats me on stage :0

[@ZakuAurelius]

Congratulations! 🎊

[@SD-vp5vo]

10 bucks for 1 static goofy figure

[@AndreaDoesYoga]

Super excited for Gundam Assemble, thanks for the update! 🤩👍

[@andrewyeung3030]

Bandai should learn how to judge and actually learn what the definition of the word organization is

[@michaeldawson4736]

This video is the only thing ive heard about gbwc 2024 lol thats really bad

[@Peasham]

All I want is for this not to summon the worst parts of the 40K fandom, personally.

[@froakie14]

Having to paint them is a big turnoff for me

[@FOXZILLA5734]

To be fair, miniature games like warhammer does the same thing but I get that, not for everyone that likes to do that.

[@VulcanP90]

yeah i suppose being a froakie would make it hard to paint things. with the water and the whatnot.

[@froakie14]

@@VulcanP90 Nice