What version of Warhammer Fantasy Battle should I buy?

[KTG17]

So I have the 6th edition box set. With some extras of the Empire and Orc armies that came with it, but I havent done much with it. I cant even be inspired to take time from my other 10,000 interests to do much with this set. I was thinking, maybe its the set itself. I used to have Mordheim btw, and like an idiot, sold it away. But I did like it more.

But I was thinking, if I were to try another ruleset, what would it be? I have to admit I am not crazy about the generic rank and file minis that come with the earlier sets, well, when they were included. So would maybe just getting the really early rulebooks that didn't even include minis be worth a go? Just to see if something in those sets inspires me to build and paint up the Empire and Orcs that I have.

And I am totally open to buying one of the new sets too.

So what is your recommendation and why?

 

[dieselmonkey]

The 'classic edition' for most people on here is probably 3rd Edition, so really I'd suggest that. You don't need to buy any of the optional books (Armies/Siege) if you want, and it's really just a nice book to have in general.

 

[Snickit]

I'm a big advocate of 4th but..............................

I cut my teeth on 3rd and, if I'm honest, I prefer the feel of 3rd, I just find 4th to be a quicker rules set to play a game so my own Warhammer lies somewhere between the two.

My advice would be to buy 3rd. As Diesel says, you get all you need to play in one book. If you like it buy a few more source books. Try 4th after this if you find games take a little while. End up playing a hybrid.

Or not.

It was just a suggestion.

 

[Stormbringer]

I would choose 2nd Edition.

It has nice, simple rules without being overly complex, nice old-school artwork and the most flexible, unrestrictive point-system for creating your own custom fantasy forces. Third edition offers more complex rules, though its size and scope is somewhat overwhelming to me. Also, the book is bloated with a lot of unecessary artwork, though it is nice to look at, if you can find the rules in between it all.

I tend to play a hybrid of 1st and 2nd Edition, as I like elements of both. My only use for 3rd Edition is for new monsters or creatures which weren't around in 2nd, such as the Gorgon and the Cockatrice.

 

[Brandocles]

Speaking as one who prefers 5th, I'd advise staying away from 4th and 5th for the sheer volume of paperwork one need buy to get into those two.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Is the 6th Edition rulebook in the boxed set the same as the 6th Edition large rulebook? If so, that's my favourite Newhammer, and I wonder what you're finding lacking in it.

If you want to do big battles focusing on manoeuvring and tactics, buy WFB3.

If you want to do small skirmishes, buy Rogue Trader and only use the medieval-level tech or buy WFB2 and skirmish with it. Small skirmishes (5-10 models a side) are good because you don't need to paint up so many, and a few of each type of troop makes it a much less daunting task.

If you're looking for inspiration to paint full armies of Empire and Orcs, I'd read some medieval warfare books. I find the Blandford Press books by Tim Newark and Angus McBride really good, lightly written and nicely illustrated. Medieval Warlords and the Barbarians one probably the best for Orcs vs. Humans, but they are all good. They always make me want to build huge proper armies that I never get round to.

 

[dieselmonkey]

If you want to do big battles focusing on manoeuvring and tactics, buy WFB3.

If you want to do small skirmishes, buy Rogue Trader and only use the medieval-level tech or buy WFB2 and skirmish with it. Small skirmishes (5-10 models a side) are good because you don't need to paint up so many, and a few of each type of troop makes it a much less daunting task.

I find WFB3 scales very well down to warband level, we just decide what 'advanced' rules to bin for ease of play, though in the past we've gone with the Mordheim rules as they worked well as a midpoint between old WFB3 twats like myself, and younger players who were used to WFB5+.

I do think though, that for background, art, inspiration and sheer completeness, especially if we're talking 'Oldhammer', then the 3rd rulebook has it all. 1 and 2 were just a bit too 70's amateurish in style for my taste (I started with 2nd ed, and 3rd was just mindblowing at the time it came out!), and with 4+ you need eleventy-billion books per version. (might be a slight exaggeration).

 

[Zhu Bajie]

I find WFB3 scales very well down to warband level, we just decide what 'advanced' rules to bin for ease of play, though in the past we've gone with the Mordheim rules as they worked well as a midpoint between old WFB3 twats like myself, and younger players who were used to WFB5+.

Yeah WFB3 does (because it's just WFB2 with some houserules), but why pay for a rule-book only to ignore huge chunks? Just buy a a set that already does that. Both Mordheim and WFB3 miss out on the build your own troop-types from scratch, and are muchly impoverished in the magical weapons and equipment dept, if you want that kind of thing... and if you want to add in some science-fantasy or steampunk elements then RT is much more useful.

I do think though, that for background, art, inspiration and sheer completeness, especially if we're talking 'Oldhammer', then the 3rd rulebook has it all. 1 and 2 were just a bit too 70's amateurish in style for my taste (I started with 2nd ed, and 3rd was just mindblowing at the time it came out!), and with 4+ you need eleventy-billion books per version. (might be a slight exaggeration).

In terms of art direction, WFB3 is mostly just a load of stuff stuck in without rhyme or reason. Need to check the gunpowder weapon rules - here have a picture of some Elven Wardancer miniatures. 99.9% of the art was produced during the WFB2 era and just reused out of context. For us WFB3 was less mind blowing, more 'why are GW expecting us to pay for all this stuff again?' To my mind RT, WFB1 and WFB2 are much better at being coherent books and for my taste carry a much stronger punkier, counter-cultural, DIY attitude and aesthetic that is much more authentically 'Oldhammer'. Doesn't WFB3 actually have a series of full colour photographs showing you how to take a packet of Citadel Miniatures off a shelf and pay for them at the counter, in a gamesworkshopshop? It's unintentionally hilarious, but nobody needs that kind of sleazy commercial nonsense in the middle of a game.

In terms of background, WFB2 pretty much has everything WFB3 has to offer (often word for word, and sometimes more succinctly) plus a much looser and more free-wheeling attitude to it all. Plus there's just loads of quirky stuff from Power Weapons that send people insane, to Undead Urn guards to Major Death Runes. Much more fun stuff.

and with 4+ you need eleventy-billion books per version. (might be a slight exaggeration).

lol! Only just. Hey, it may be that the OP just needs to buy the Empire and Orcs & Goblins army books for 6th as inspiration. Perhaps the more codified and detailed background they give would spur him on.

 

[jon_1066]

Get Dragon Rampant. I know it is not a version of Warhammer but it's only £12 from Osprey and you can use your Orcs and Empire troops. It gives a lot of old skool feel without having to wade through hundreds of pages of old skool rules.

 

[Snickit]

Get Dragon Rampant. I know it is not a version of Warhammer but it's only £12 from Osprey and you can use your Orcs and Empire troops. It gives a lot of old skool feel without having to wade through hundreds of pages of old skool rules.

or get on Scribed and you can read it for free or pay a couple of quid for a days downloading and download loads of stuff whilst you have the access.

 

[Erny]

Get Dragon Rampant. I know it is not a version of Warhammer but it's only £12 from Osprey and you can use your Orcs and Empire troops. It gives a lot of old skool feel without having to wade through hundreds of pages of old skool rules.

It's an OK light wargame with a fantasy skin but isn't really a substitute for Warhammer.

My advice to KTG17, buy any version, they are all remarkably similar. Personal favorites are 3rd, 4th and 6th but if you can play one you can play them all. If the individual roll to hit, wound and save for each model isn't for you the quite possibly warhammer isn't either. If it is great, what you now have is a tool kit, what are you going to do with it? At this point inspiration is whats required and it woudl appear this is what is lacking. I don't think a rules system is going to do that inspiration. You need to start wanting to play with your models, who after all is going to invest time in models they don't like or want to play with.

You need a story more than a rules set. I always felt that 6th ed starter set looked like a boarder guard so perhaps start there. What is the name of the regiment, whats the Captains name, where are they billeted. Are they expecting hostilities? Those gorilla sized orcs, what tribe are they, whose the war chief. What plans have they got, a raid, migration, the tip of an army of conquest?

Do this first and if you then want to play the game use whichever system floats your boat, you already have 6th, give it a go. At least then you will know if you like the system and what if anything you woudl change. Then we could advise on which iteration would require the least work to get the game you want.

 

[Fimm McCool]

If you're not a fan of the rank and file maybe find another copy of Mordheim? Personally I prefer the small warband stuff most of the time as you can get more into character. The popular warband game right now is Frostgrave, but I honestly can't recommend it.