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The Facebook Group

So I was invited to this group by a friend that's also a Classichammer fan. It looks to be a an attempt to meld various editions of Warhammer Fantasy into a balanced but still flavorful game.

The rules are (according to the author) largely based on 4th Edition, with some additions from 7th and 8th.

Some highlights:
-Emphasis on regiments of troops. Maneuvering is easier (units with muscians can make a free pivot at the start or end of their move), models can step up after casualties, units 8 wide can attack in two ranks.
-Offensive magic items have decreased in points, defensive have increased
-Magic is based on the card game that 4th's magic phase was, but with randomised winds of magic. All wizards randomly roll spells equal to their spell level + 3, and then keeps spells up tot their spell level. Spells cast with total power can be dispelled.
-4th edition psychology, but changed to ranges of 8"
-Rules have been streamlined a la 7th, chariots are one model, weapons have been simplified, movement is generally faster.

The main rulebook has been updated recently, and later in autumn the combined army books will be released together as Ravening Hordes.

This seems pretty well thought out, and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Its nice to see that dismissing the fantasy battles have sprouted various rule systems.

This might not have happened without age of sigmar.

The only problem is that there are so many different versions and attempts that the field is getting flooded with them.

While true, it's at least convenient that models remain consistently useful up and down the line of rules.

Auticus could you list everything you know of ?

I know currently CE, Warblade, Eliason, 9th Age.

Those about cover it. Once you get past two different versions of the same ruleset though you get collective eye-glazing.

Not to mention games like Kings of War and Conquest which also base a lot of their mechanics off of whfb (which is no shocker since they share the same designer).

I dont use FB to check, but it seems like an interesting take. Sticking to the magic cards is a not so common option among the new different rulesets.

Over here, there is a fantasy version called Manuscripts of Nuth which is 100% 6th edition + rules for models from older (3rd/4th/5th) and newer (7th/8th) editions adapted to 6th. You can also use 7th core rules without problem. Proves to be very popular (later this month, there is a tournament with 50 players), and definitely contributed to an important revival of good old Warhammer.

I think all these tweaked versions are only natural, as the enforcement of a game direction (ie. follow what a company tells you what is official) is no longer. I suppose this makes that every "local area" starts developing their take on the game according to what they like, which is more healthy and probably fun. All these versions, however, don't really have a global appeal and will mostly remain limited to a scene/area. But I'm all for these different versions, it's nice to see what people come up with.

Certainly an interesting take on Warhammer's legacy! Please report on your experience.

Amai wrote:
Its nice to see that dismissing the fantasy battles have sprouted various rule systems.

This might not have happened without age of sigmar.

Not only rules, but art and background as well, with concepts that expand much upon the spirit of Warhammer but goes much further and aims for greater detail and wider coverage of cultures into fantasy armies. The entire Warhammer Fantasy community has been thrust into the cold, the same position that Chaos Dwarf collectors were in for years on end. We learnt to fend for ourselves, get creative and make stuff of our own since we weren't served much if anything from GW. Now the same is true for the whole community that hasn't moved to Age of Sigmar.

Standing on one's own legs encourages creativity. I enjoy the new age of a split wargame scene. Thoroughly.

Age of Sigmar isnt to be credited rather than the removal of WHFB. With no small amount of credit due to the timely launch of Total War Warhammer.

It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What would have happened if GW had coincided 9th Edition WHFB with the release of Warhammer Total War.

My cynicism tells me that likely it wouldn't have affected it much, as computer gamers would have seen that the price of a single unit would have been more their whole game cost to purchase.

Probably. Have watched some total war footages and it seems inferior to warhammer dark omen.

 infinite_array wrote:
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What would have happened if GW had coincided 9th Edition WHFB with the release of Warhammer Total War.

My cynicism tells me that likely it wouldn't have affected it much, as computer gamers would have seen that the price of a single unit would have been more their whole game cost to purchase.

I don't know about that, they could have used it as promotional material to drive sales, like they are doing with Gotrek and Felix.
Wasn't that how they used Dawn of War? I know I found out about WH40k through Dawn of War, and after that I got into WHFB.

Just think, had they not Old Yeller'd WHFB and replaced it with 40k on acid, we might have had a Vampire Coast faction on the table.

Had Mark Of Chaos been solicited a little better we may have seen that uptick that 40K got from DOW, but unfortunately for some odd reason Warhammer related stuff seems to drop the ball w hen it comes to marketing and advertizing.

Yeah, Mark of Chaos was alright, but it didn't quite make it.
You can tell that Namco was trying to do Total War before CA could do it, but they didn't quite get there. Probably because they left out the strategic layer, you had access to only a few races that weren't that developed and because the champion duels were crap.
At least that game had demons though and treated chaos properly.

For this fan version of the game, did they change steadfast so its not stupid? That was one of the biggest problems with 8th ed for me, because it reduced the tactical and maneuvering aspects of the game to "hurr durr, I have more models and magic than you, I win"

Like, I get that magic was supposed to be a counter to steadfast, but it was much more efficient against small units of elite troops rather than hordes. So if you had both magic AND hordes you had a bit of an advantage. Similar issue that 40k has now, actually.
Its almost as if the issue wasn't with the game itself, but with GW.

It was more like they were trying to do DOW from a WFB framework without the whole resource thing, and things were lost in translation. I still have a blast playing it, but that's neither here nor there.

The fact that NONE of my friends who DO play PC fantasy games were aware of it. Hell, Battle March was released on 360 and people were largely unaware of it.

Its almost as if the issue wasn't with the game itself, but with GW.

^^^^^^^^^^

Bingo.

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

For this fan version of the game, did they change steadfast so its not stupid? That was one of the biggest problems with 8th ed for me, because it reduced the tactical and maneuvering aspects of the game to "hurr durr, I have more models and magic than you, I win"

Well good news! There is no steadfast at all. Break test bonuses are banners, flank/rear attacks against enemy, and ranks of at least 4 models, up to a maximum of +3.

When I asked about the two-rank attack, the author of the rules stated, "Using the 8 models wide option is for missile regiments, the most powerful elite regiments, and in rare cases perhaps goblins." Also, he was "confident that infantry regiments of 16-20 model are superior cost benefit wise compared to larger regiments."

 infinite_array wrote:

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

For this fan version of the game, did they change steadfast so its not stupid? That was one of the biggest problems with 8th ed for me, because it reduced the tactical and maneuvering aspects of the game to "hurr durr, I have more models and magic than you, I win"

Well good news! There is no steadfast at all. Break test bonuses are banners, flank/rear attacks against enemy, and ranks of at least 4 models, up to a maximum of +3.

When I asked about the two-rank attack, the author of the rules stated, "Using the 8 models wide option is for missile regiments, the most powerful elite regiments, and in rare cases perhaps goblins." Also, he was "confident that infantry regiments of 16-20 model are superior cost benefit wise compared to larger regiments."

Ah, so 6th ed rules.
What do spears do now if they don't allow fight in 2 ranks?

If on foot, fight in one extra rank to the front. If mounted, +1S on the charge.

Oh so they do. Also something from 6th and 7th ed, I believe.
Are there rules for lizardmen?

Sort of. Right now the creator/playtestors are reformatting the rules. One rulebook containing all the rules, spells, and common magic items, and a Ravening Hordes army book.

Empire, High Elves, Orcs & Goblins, Undead, Chaos, Chaos Dwarfs and Dark Elves are updated to the new format.

Dwarfs, Skaven, Wood Elves, Bretonnia, Lizardmen and Dogs of War have army lists in the previous version but haven't been fully reformatted yet. They're expected by the end of autumn.

Undead have a single book ?

Largely based on 4th ed, so Undead were still not split? That's a very cool idea.

Are you adapting new units (such as 7th-8th stuff) into the Ravening Hordes lists? Or just updating the older lists? Undead could end up with lots of options.

I think they're adapting some of the newer stuff. O&G get a Gargantuan Spider that forest goblins can ride, and Undead have Ushabti.

I have been playing WFB since 2nd edition (old box set with 3 books), end up stopping during the 6th. I feel it's time to get back to the tabletop pushing the R&F units around. I guess this is my WFB renaissance....LOL.
Been doing a lot of reading, looking at different versions (GW and fan made), trying to find something that will fit. I found Warhammer Armies Project rules and army lists, very impressive what one guy managed to do.....I'm planing to give WAP a try. Yes, renaissance it's on and gathering speed.

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

 infinite_array wrote:
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What would have happened if GW had coincided 9th Edition WHFB with the release of Warhammer Total War.

My cynicism tells me that likely it wouldn't have affected it much, as computer gamers would have seen that the price of a single unit would have been more their whole game cost to purchase.

I don't know about that, they could have used it as promotional material to drive sales, like they are doing with Gotrek and Felix.
Wasn't that how they used Dawn of War? I know I found out about WH40k through Dawn of War, and after that I got into WHFB.

Just think, had they not Old Yeller'd WHFB and replaced it with 40k on acid, we might have had a Vampire Coast faction on the table.

I have to admit that gave me a chuckle. Almost Sig worthy.

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

 infinite_array wrote:
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What would have happened if GW had coincided 9th Edition WHFB with the release of Warhammer Total War.

My cynicism tells me that likely it wouldn't have affected it much, as computer gamers would have seen that the price of a single unit would have been more their whole game cost to purchase.

I don't know about that, they could have used it as promotional material to drive sales, like they are doing with Gotrek and Felix.
Wasn't that how they used Dawn of War? I know I found out about WH40k through Dawn of War, and after that I got into WHFB.

Just think, had they not Old Yeller'd WHFB and replaced it with 40k on acid, we might have had a Vampire Coast faction on the table.

As far as I know Vampire Coast was to be a faction, but Disney stepped in that is too close to Pirates of the Carribeans trademark ( undead pirates ).