Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm a little confused by Forgeworld rules. Are they additions to regular 40k rules and can be added on in fair game play?
I don't see anyone talking about Forgeworld for tourneys and that makes me think it's "not cool".
Reason for asking is, if I were to model and paint some awesome grot armor and take it to a local game store, I'm guessing most people would just look at me blankly when I pulled out the FW models expecting to be able to use the FW rule sets.

Oh god...its this thread...brace yourself.

In all seriousness, the 'legality' of forge world rules is debated by many. For tournaments, FW is generally a no, which is fine. For friendly games, most people abide by simply asking your opponent ahead of time to use FW rules/models.

I personally enjoy FW and wouldn't mind at all if my opponent used FW rules. Many people look at one or two FW units that are a little overpowered and automatically lump every FW rule into the overpowered section. Most of FW rules are in fact under-powered and thematic if anything.

Just explain the rules ahead of time.

They are additions, but are, at present, by opponent consent only. the IA books are a supplement to 40k.

You can use them just fine in any game, as long as the other guy/TO allows you to.

They don't have the official-ness of an actual codex, and most tournaments will only allow 40k codex units, though many of the FW models are just fine to use if they're in the codex.

One of the reasons that they aren't generally allowed in tournaments is that the points values and power levels of the FW units are often out of whack, either too low or too high, and many FLGS or even GW stores don't have copies of the IA books on hand, which would be needed to make sure the FW units were being used properly and to check points in the lists.

I've found with my local tournament that i can roll up with a FW nurgle Daemon Prince (for example) and it's no problem. People love seeing the models on the table. Bringing Blight Drones (brokenly OP nurgle IA unit) would get them thrown at me.

FW models are often fine in any game (and damn pretty)
IA units are generally a no-go in a competitive setting.

*edit for dyslexia *

Sounds about exactly like what I was expecting to hear.
Thanks!

So FW is just a 100+ dollar practical joke against anyone that isn't a casual gamer.

CuddlySquig wrote:So FW is just a 100+ dollar practical joke against anyone that isn't a casual gamer.

Errr...no? Not quite sure what you're getting at, but Forge World makes beautiful models with very thematic and fluffy rules. The IA books are a wealth of fluff information and contain great scenarios and campaigns to play with your friends.

If you enjoy Apocalypse (where anything goes anyways), FW offers great kits with awesome rules.

So in short, FW is awesome, and you'll never go wrong just buying a kit, painting it, and playing with it casually.

There's a distinction to be drawn also:

FW models- fething awesome. Many of them would fit into standard codex units instead of the GW model, with no problems. I've seen forgeworld models for codex units at tournaments occasionally, and everyone flocks to them to admire them

IA Rules- Those are pretty much non-tournament, but can still be fun. It's not unknown for IA units to wind up in new editions of the offical codex, either...

I use Forgeworld models for codex units (like my nurgle daemon prince, and i'm lusting after the Keeper of Secrets from FW instead of the advert for Mad Cow disease GW pumps out) but i rarely use IA rules, even at home. Sometimes I will, if the person i'm playing against wants to try something new.

Not every Forgeworld model is usable under the standard codex set, but a lot of them are.

The only models that aren't useable under that standard codex set are fliers, super heavies and gargantuan creatures. These make up a very small portion of the models FW actually makes.

I have 3 FW Tau suits and i love them. I use them often as counts as Crysis suit. Everyone wants to look at them. They even let me use them as Crysis suits in the Tourneys. I have never played them with the IA 3 rules though.