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So with the plastic Heresy stuff coming, I'm pretty keen to get a Word Bearers army going (and get my mates into it too) but I'm just wondering on the rules for 30k. I see Forgeworld has the Crusade Army List and Isstvan Campaign List books bundled together which seems an obvious start, but is that all that is needed? I want to stay away from the full fluff books if I can - they look nice but are a bit too expensive. I see Word Bearers are in Book 5 though - does that have anything special the Isstvan Campaign List doesn't?

Also, what are the chances of Forgeworld releasing new rules to coincide with the plastic Heresy release that invalidate their current rules? I'd pretty devastated if I bought the books only for them to be out of date in a month :( My gaming group is putting through a Forgeworld order in like the next week for 40k stuff, so I wanted to jump onboard to avoid postage fees to Australia lol.

You could always get the rules in an alternative way.

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There are some characters and some changes to Lorgars rules in Tempest that aren't in the Istvaan Crusade Legions book.

You need to look into the FW HH book series. WB are not in the first book. I guess you'll find them in book three.

"Crusade Army List" has the generic Legion list, without any legion-specific units.
"Isstvan Campaign Legions" has Emperor's Children, Death Guard, Sons of Horus, World Eaters, Word Bearers, Night Lords, Iron Hands, Salamanders, Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion, Imperial Fists & Raven Guard.

Both these books are rumoured to be updated shortly.

 wuestenfux wrote:
You need to look into the FW HH book series. WB are not in the first book. I guess you'll find them in book three.

They are looking at the FW books, the two red ones. One of them has the Astartes army list and one has the rules, units and characters for the first 12 legions released. The bulk of the WB rules are in the Istvaan legions book (or Massacre, book 2) but there's some in book 5, Tempest, which came out after the Istvaan legions book so won't be in there. This includes the Mhara Gal dread, a couple of new characters and some changes to Lorgars rules.

Two red ones are all you need. Fw won't change rules for plastics cause its just a board game to boost up Xmas sales

HH Book 5 isn't absolutely necessary to play a Word Bearers army. All you'd need would be the two Red Books. If, after that, you feel like you want or need the new rules in Book 5, and don't mind paying $100 or whatever to buy Book 5, then go for it. But the two bundled books are the cheapest and/or simplest way to get from zero to Word Bearers.

As the poster immediately above states, I'm under the impression that the new plastics will be part of a mini-game or boardgame ala Space Hulk or the Assassin game. The models will obviously work for 30k gaming, too, but I doubt anything in the release will render the red books obsolete.

Another note about Word Bearers is they have several ways to ally with Chaos Daemons, so if you want to go down that route (which is by no means necessary) you'd need the Chaos Dameon codex, as well.

You might also want book 5 - the imperialis militia army list is way to do a usemetar kaul warp cult as allies - they're cheap, fearless and disposable and surprisingly good in assaults (in sufficient nnumbers, anyway)

Also, a good way to make cheap word bearers is that they can be battle brothers with chaos daemons.


But get the two red books, if you want book five then get it, but nearly all of the goodies are in the bundle.

 GoonBandito wrote:
So with the plastic Heresy stuff coming, I'm pretty keen to get a Word Bearers army going (and get my mates into it too) but I'm just wondering on the rules for 30k.


1. I see Forgeworld has the Crusade Army List and Isstvan Campaign List books bundled together which seems an obvious start, but is that all that is needed?

2. I want to stay away from the full fluff books if I can - they look nice but are a bit too expensive. I see Word Bearers are in Book 5 though - does that have anything special the Isstvan Campaign List doesn't?

3. Also, what are the chances of Forgeworld releasing new rules to coincide with the plastic Heresy release that invalidate their current rules? I'd pretty devastated if I bought the books only for them to be out of date in a month :( My gaming group is putting through a Forgeworld order in like the next week for 40k stuff, so I wanted to jump onboard to avoid postage fees to Australia lol.

I broke up your post to make answering it easier, if you don't mind.

1. Those two books are really all you need to play one of the Isstvan Legions or a generic legion that hasn't been published, yet. Obviously the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons will play VERY differently from what we've seen so far, but those should be the only "weirdo outlier legions".

2. Word Bearer's are a solid choice. I like their color scheme and their fluff. Also, they can take Daemons, which is a nice fluffy, ally. Off hand, I recall that book 5 had a few other options for them, but recall what. Their rules in the "Isstvaan Campaign List" book are pretty solid. Excellent army.

3. None, as far as I can tell. The FW rules and models are selling very well. They're not going to ruin that cash cow. From what the rumor mongers are saying, GW may continue to make "Board Game Expansions" and possibly individual kits for HH models, but FW is still leading the charge on HH rules/campaigns/etc.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

beast_gts wrote:

Both these books are rumoured to be updated shortly.

I have not heard this rumors. Link, please?

 kronk wrote:

beast_gts wrote:

Both these books are rumoured to be updated shortly.

I have not heard this rumors. Link, please?

It was mentioned at the Open Day - I'll see if I can dig up a link.

That would be great, thanks!

I did hear mention that the next book would have additional Rights of Wars for existing Legions, but I hadn't heard that there would be a "Complete update". Perhaps moving some 6th edition style rules to 7th edition? Removal of only Troops score, etc.

 kronk wrote:
That would be great, thanks!

I did hear mention that the next book would have additional Rights of Wars for existing Legions, but I hadn't heard that there would be a "Complete update". Perhaps moving some 6th edition style rules to 7th edition? Removal of only Troops score, etc.

I don't think anything was said about a complete update? Just that the two red books would be updated with units and rules that have come out since they were published.

I see.

It looks like I might be mis-remembering - only link I can find is on B&C: Alan Bligh said that "they would update the red book rather than the main books, so no Massacre 2nd Edition".

The plan is to eventually update them, particularly some of the older stuff that doesn't quite meet the same level as current units (like the Phoenix and Justaerin terminators basically sucking compared to what other legions get). As to how soon that will be done, I don't know.

Thanks guys, I'll get the two red books for now. As long as they're not immediately being updated, I'll be able to get some good use out of them.

Time to spread the word!