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I just read and article about potential impending doom (6th ed. 40k) and it got me thinking about that very topic.

To preface the question. I've been playing for a long time and I've seen editions of games that I've liked and hated come and go. I loved Fantasty 6th & 7th but quit when 8th rolled around. I don't need to start in on that debate.

Do you think that a GW store would kick me out for playing a game of 6th edition Fantasy with a buddy who also enjoyed that ruleset?



On a 40k note. What if 6th is horrible? Like really bad? Will everyone grudging play it or will people stick with 5th? Will INDEPENDENT tournaments tote the company line or develop their own balanced system, possibly the 'best of' edition? Just something to think about.

Unless your affecting other players who may use the newer rules, like trying to stop them from playing what may or may not be considered a poorer version then I dont see why they would try to remove you or another player.

But, as a disclaimer, YMMV my local FLGS wouldnt kick us out

Well considering they get antsy with BFG, blood bowl and the like I would probably say yes, because if anyone comes by and asks what you're doing and you say something to the effect of "playing 5th 'cause 6th is poop" then I can see why that wouldnt be popular.

Im sure it would be fine, but they would be hovering like mofos.

I've played many games of 7th edition WFB, since 8th edition came out, in GW stores. Managers have known and not cared. Main reason ~ fully painted really sharp armies are great publicity. It also means having more players in the shop who are adults. Who can help younger or less experienced gamers think outside the box.

People asked why I was chosing to play an older edition sometimes I would reference video games from an earlier time that you just want to mess around and enjoy, or enjoying a game with a quality opponent. Also the idea that "hey we really wanted to mess around and missed 7th so figured why not!." All those reasons are positive. GW wants positive gamers in their shops, managers shouldn't care.

I'm willing to bet it would go unnoticed, but would depend on how level headed the manager is if your game catches the attention of others.

Generally players gravitate towards the newest rules set whether they like it or not as it's common ground. Adopt and adapt to the new rules or limit yourself to playing only those people who are familiar with and prefer the old edition.

Several GW managers have mentioned to me that they are not allowed to let people to play old editions. It is apparently a really big deal, as it could cut into sales. I expect this to be an issue when 6th ed comes out.

My advice would be to just not mention the rules that you are using.

I think a blend of the answers here is the right ticket. I think you should just rock on, and not worry about it. In all likelihood no one will notice, and if someone does and asks you about it, keep your reasons positive rather than being derogatory. I don't anticipate you having a problem, but that's just me.

The job of the store is to sell the version currently on sale.

If the GW store was doing their job properly they should ask you to stop. Ultimately playing with old rules undermines the product they sell.

spaceelf wrote:Several GW managers have mentioned to me that they are not allowed to let people to play old editions. It is apparently a really big deal, as it could cut into sales. I expect this to be an issue when 6th ed comes out.

Kilkrazy wrote:The job of the store is to sell the version currently on sale.

Zoned wrote:If the GW store was doing their job properly they should ask you to stop. Ultimately playing with old rules undermines the product they sell.

Games Workshop constantly brags about being a Miniatures company. Even 1stEd Rogue Trader could be played using modern models.

How is playing an earlier edition cutting into the sales of their models?
How is playing an earlier edition any more damaging than playing house-rules that Games Workshop seems to (pretend to) like so much?
How is playing an earlier edition going to harm the sales of the books that you already have?

I don't see it being an issue. If you're playing 3rd edition 40k, somebody's going to have to look real hard at the game you're playing to tell the difference between it and 5th ed.

they would not kick you out. Unless you were playing some official tourney there or something, 99% of GW stores don't care what you are playing as long as it's GW. They aren't going to edit your game for Force org or Rules....

deggreg@yahoo.com wrote:they would not kick you out. Unless you were playing some official tourney there or something, 99% of GW stores don't care what you are playing as long as it's GW. They aren't going to edit your game for Force org or Rules....

Well I have had a manager correct me on some little fiddly rules before which is why I thought this might be an issue as they pay attention to what you are doing. Clearly I can't have the rule books, because they don't sell them anymore

I guess it's truly YMMV, but having employees ride your case because your using a different set of warhammer rules sounds like them saying you can't field your army that's chock full of OOP models.

What's that? I can't field my stupid looking OOP IG egg sentinels? Well then have a good day sir, I'll find somewhere else to play using YOUR models and YOUR rules.

GW stores kick you out for whatever.

When they do, you go on over to your Local store and play there.

Thats why we don't go to GW stores, because they are now to the point where they are facist and stiflers of creativity.

They started going down hill around the advent of 3d edition, where they had the balls to tell me my gobsmasha wasn't officially official. that was even after I showed them where I got it from. (WD. )


(Hey, GW- I still have the old WD's with all of the wonderful plans.....)

maybe I should start leaking them.

Absolutionis wrote:

spaceelf wrote:Several GW managers have mentioned to me that they are not allowed to let people to play old editions. It is apparently a really big deal, as it could cut into sales. I expect this to be an issue when 6th ed comes out.

Kilkrazy wrote:The job of the store is to sell the version currently on sale.

Zoned wrote:If the GW store was doing their job properly they should ask you to stop. Ultimately playing with old rules undermines the product they sell.

Games Workshop constantly brags about being a Miniatures company. Even 1stEd Rogue Trader could be played using modern models.

How is playing an earlier edition cutting into the sales of their models?
How is playing an earlier edition any more damaging than playing house-rules that Games Workshop seems to (pretend to) like so much?
How is playing an earlier edition going to harm the sales of the books that you already have?

Second

Every edition brings about change. 5th ed. 40k saw a huge rise in Mech. 8th ed. Fantasy saw a rise in infantry blocks and monsters.

Playing an old edition can discourages the sale of what GW wants you to buy for this edition. Playing an old edition means you don't have to change your army for the current meta.

GW stores rarely use house rules except when doing demos and for special events (things like Herohammer or Rolling Thunder.) I'm sure in casual play the official rules are encouraged.

Playing an earlier edition means you don't have to buy the current rulebook/codexes/supplements.

That's a lot of ways for the company to lose sales, if you ask me.

When it comes to letting customers use OOP models, they should encourage this to show that models can be used indefinitely (in theory) and are not automatically un-useable when a new kit replaces them. Customers tend to buy the new version anyway because they look cooler.

Zoned wrote:Every edition brings about change. 5th ed. 40k saw a huge rise in Mech. 8th ed. Fantasy saw a rise in infantry blocks and monsters.

Playing an old edition can discourages the sale of what GW wants you to buy for this edition. Playing an old edition means you don't have to change your army for the current meta.

GW stores rarely use house rules except when doing demos and for special events (things like Herohammer or Rolling Thunder.) I'm sure in casual play the official rules are encouraged.

Playing an earlier edition means you don't have to buy the current rulebook/codexes/supplements.

That's a lot of ways for the company to lose sales, if you ask me.

When it comes to letting customers use OOP models, they should encourage this to show that models can be used indefinitely (in theory) and are not automatically un-useable when a new kit replaces them. Customers tend to buy the new version anyway because they look cooler.

this sums it up. it's a pretty slimey way of doing business.

why not just put in the effort to actually balance their game and make everything viable instead of pulling this crap?

A good topic for discussion... There's a couple points I want to bring up.

First, I think the GW manager stance could depend big time on if you are playing in a GW store or in a Battle Bunker. The reason I bring that up, is because most of the standard GW stores are very small and limited on table space to say the least. In that type of setting it only makes sense to have you play the most current rules edition of the game. The store is there to get new folks into the game and hobby and if you're playing from an older rules set than what is currently sold it can only cause confusion. However, in a Battle Bunker where there are plenty of open tables and the sales area is generally separate from the rest of the store, I doubt that they would even care so long as you were playing with GW models and your army was painted. In a Battle Bunker, they are geared more to allow different types of GW games since they have the space to do it.

Second, I've been into GW stores that had displays of older miniatures and older versions of the their games in cases to view. Games Workshop is a miniatures company first, and nothing sells the game better than looking at 2 awesome armies playing on the table no matter what version of the rules are being played. If as a consumer all you did was continue to buy GW's latest models and play older versions of 40k or Fantasy, GW doesn't care. They've still got you as a customer and they would rather that you buy their models to play an older version of their game than buy 3rd party models to play the newest version of the game.

Last, I personally have armies that are completely outdated with newer versions of the game. For example, I have a 2000 point 13th Company Space Wolves army built and painted using the Eye of Terror Codex for 3rd edition 40k. Now, I could modify that army to work under the 5th edition codex and play with the 5th edition rules, but I actually enjoy playing with them as they were modeled and intended. (Besides, I already have a regular Space Wolves army that uses the newer codex.)

If anyone pulls you up on using old rules, just go 'oh damn, my bad', wait till they move on and then kick on with your game.

I asked my local GW manager and he said there wouldn't be a problem so long as people weren't spouting off about how edition X is way better then the latest edition.

Basically, as long as you aren't badmouthing the company outright, it's fine. Which is understandable, at least to me.

I'll only express the common thinking of the GW stores in my region, as well only go into very very general information in which case many of you might already know of since we got a bunch of smart people here on Dakka.

Every GW store (in my region of course) has a set of weekly, monthly, and yearly Quotas that the store manager tries to meet.
These quota's are based on last years performance figures. As long as the store manager is within the certain parameters of the goals set by the corporation on a year to year bases then everything is all right.

The GW Store Manager has to promote the product that corporation dictates. It is sales, of product is what keeps the manager employed.

I have seen one manager have specialist games in his store, and then in another, that particular manager is by the book. There is no leniency in that store concerning old codexs or old game systems.

Depends on the manager and how much pressure I believe that he has to deal with regarding year to year sales.

While year to year growth is certainly important for the store, I believe the senior management should care about how that is achieved.

The accepted path of growing your customer base and maintaining regulars is probably the best method. Makes sense in theory, but can be hard to execute consistently.

Relying on "gimicks" like Bitz trades, specialist games...etc may yield short term growth but probably have long term damage.

Workers at my local GW play blood bowl in store on there days off... Also BFG gets played almost weekly in the GW cross town.. if your playing a version of their game with their models I doubt they would care... But this might also depend on the availability of table space

I don't see a problem with it unless you're badmouthing the newer stuff.

What Im seeing so far is a lot of reasons not to play at a GW store. Id have to say a FLGS or home would be the better place.

Just slip your old codex in the cover of the new codex, the same way you'd sneak MAD Magazine and Playboys in your textbooks in school.

Not allowed in my store.
With ONE exception.

If no else is around and the staffs are bored out of their minds to care.

All in all it really depends on your store. In my store they don't care what you play as long as you and your oppenent agree and all the models are from gw or made mostly from gw product (70%). I've been going their and playing with my homebrew Codex, sometimes even against the staff members. I also know other stores wouldn't allow this, so it is best to ask your store manager on their stance on playing with an older edition.

Firstly, if both you and a regular opponent are of the same mindset that you prefer a previous version of the rules, surely you guys have another place to organise and play games? Is playing in a GW store really neccessary?

That being said, I don't see why there should be a problem with it, some of the reasons above listed are fair enough, but how obvious is it even going to be which rules set you are using unless you are overly loud, or they are watching you like a hawk.
You would hope that it would be allowed as it's not a huge issue, but then, a mate of mine sat down and started to assemble some 3rd ed Dark Eldar models he had received from a friend.
The store manger told him he wasn't allowed to assemble the old range models in the store, the reason he gave was that if 'someone walked in the door, saw the models, and wanted them' then they wouldn't be able to, which was apparently an issue. Bit strange really, but that was his explanation.