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HoundsofDemos wrote:
I think he's commenting on the fact that between CA 1.0 and 2.0 and all the various FAQs, designer commentaries, WDs, and beta rules, if you buy one of the paper books, your playing with a hopeless outdated version of the game.

Ok. So screw the rulebook. Seems like I'm missing a lot of info here. What does .CA 1.0, 2.0, designer commentaries, WDs and beta rules all mean? I'm not familiar with any of it.

Cheers.

Macabre Galatic wrote:
Ok. So screw the rulebook. Seems like I'm missing a lot of info here. What does .CA 1.0, 2.0, designer commentaries, WDs and beta rules all mean? I'm not familiar with any of it.

They patch the game every few months now, like a video game, but worse, and slower.

Best solution I've found is to just buy the enhanced versions of the eBook rulebooks, then they update automatically whenever the rules change.

Chapter Approved is a yearly update that has rule changes, new missions and point changes for pretty much every army. This is by far the most active edition with FAQs (note I don't think this is a bad thing). Additionally you have beta rules put out in various media, including white dwarf, their monthly hobby magazine. You also have a smattering of designer notes in various media that try to clarify how things should work.

20 years and counting?

Joking aside I started way back in 3rd and have played consistently from there. I had a basic grasp on the game with a few practice games but full mastery of rules never quite cemented for me until 8th. I think is by far the easiest ruleset to learn and I've taught newbies with in a quick read and a test game. You will always have to occasionally check your data sheets for specific rules "how many inches does that ability do again?" but the core will stick with you. I DO NOT miss the days of 6/7e where there were so many rules that you had to constantly look them up even though you've done it a thousand times (did anyone EVER remember what soul blaze did or to ever apply it?).

Core Rules I was pretty good with in 6e and 7e, but that's more from being perusing the rule question posts and trying to figure out the answer, and eventually providing cases for them.

Wasn't perfect when putting an army on the field, but that's more from being a little overwhelmed by the tactical data that I still haven't played enough to get through.

 oni wrote:
You're going to need the W40K rule book. There's no getting around it. Picking up a codex and watching battle reports simply isn't enough.

You can download the W40K Core Rules from GW for free here:
https://whc-cdn.games-workshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Warhammer-40k-Battle-Primer-English-3.pdf

Read it and it will answer your questions.

And when it doesn't answer your question you'll need The Designers Notes, maybe an Index, Big FAQs 1 & 2, your specific Codex errata, the rule book errata, Chapter approved '18 & its FAQ/Errata....


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Macabre Galatic wrote:

HoundsofDemos wrote:
I think he's commenting on the fact that between CA 1.0 and 2.0 and all the various FAQs, designer commentaries, WDs, and beta rules, if you buy one of the paper books, your playing with a hopeless outdated version of the game.

Ok. So screw the rulebook. Seems like I'm missing a lot of info here. What does .CA 1.0, 2.0, designer commentaries, WDs and beta rules all mean? I'm not familiar with any of it.

Cheers.

CA = Chapter Approved - a yearly update book with point changes, new missions, & misc stuff. The current one is CA'18.

WD = White Dwarf magazine. Apparently they've started putting some Beta rules in it for people to try out & give feedback on.

Designers Commentaries/Notes, FAQs, & errata for the books, & Beta rules - this stuff is found on GWs site under the Community tab. Go poke around.

Index Books = these books were published at the launch of 8e before the codices started coming out. They contained all of the army lists so you weren't left sitting out until your book arrived. In general they're pretty much outdated. BUT! There's units/entries/options in there that didn't make the cut to go into the final codex (for example: Rough Riders for the Guard). Those items are still valid parts of the game, you just need to use the Index entries for them. And to do that properly you need to read the Designer Notes.

It's worth pointing out that if you're only concerned with learning the rules at this point, you can get by with the main rulebook and the Codex for your army. You'll probably want to read through the Designer's Notes and the FAQs at some point but if you're still at the stage of getting the rules straight in your head a lot of this extra stuff is really extraneous.

For example, I'll be playing a game today. I need Chapter Approved 2018 for the missions and updated points, the rulebook and my Codex. That's it.

Between the free rulebook, a codex and some youtube battle reports you should be fine. There may be some slightly odd rules interactions you won't encounter, but you will get the overwhelming majority - certainly enough to play a game.

Obviously experience is the best. Really after one or two games you can probably start to remember how the wound table works.

I know the core rules and the rules for my army fairly well. Not perfectly, particulary if I've taken a break from a particular army or unit, I'll still look up unit rules.

My big issue is that I'll slip up and use a previous edition's rules.

If by "commenting" you mean "taking another low-quality, back-handed snipe", sure.

FAQs and erratas have always been a thing. Beta rules are just that, beta.

7 or 8 games for the base rules and my army, but im always learning niche stuff or ways the rules allow some interesting interactions. So i feel you never fully master the rules as they sit