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Just as the title says,
What exactly is 30k? Is it just alternative codices to use for the Warhammer 40,000 system? Is their an entirely separate rule set? What am I dealing with here!?

Forgeworld's alternate game based on the same rules. Has its own 'codexes' and such in three massive books filled with lore, missions etc

It's basically 40K but more expensive and with better rules.

It's based on exactly the same mechanics as 40k, and you still need the 40k rulebook to play. It's primarily for representing forces before, during and just after the Horus Heresy.

The defining feature, really, is that everything is 'bigger' than its 40k counterpart. Tactical Squads are 10-20 men (rather than 5-10), you can get Special Weapon squads where every man has a plasmagun, and you can field the Primarchs themselves in large enough games. The 30k rules really work best at 2000+ points so you can bust out these cool toys.

If you're wondering if it's cross-compatible with 40k, the answer is 'sort of'. You'll probably want to increase the maximum squad sizes of any non-30k units you put against a 30k army, but in theory and in my experience, the rules do work together.

Thanks for all the replies, lads! I have one question. Some mates and I, who are avid 40k players, are considering building a Zone Mortalis board. (If you don't know what that is then don't worry about it. Or find a link here: http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF/z/ZM6thUpdate.pdf) Would 30k work well for this? And are they the same scale? Can I just use my regular 40k Space Marine models as Count-As? This will just be within my close knit group of friends, so it will all be fun and games, but it is more so a question of; will it affect the game at all?

You would still need the books, is fprgeworld books, dpendsing on legion chosen which one, the books are not cheap so probbly don't,t want to make a mistake lol

 Noremac wrote:
Would 30k work well for this? And are they the same scale? Can I just use my regular 40k Space Marine models as Count-As?

Yes and yes. Zone Mortalis is actually reprinted in the first Horus Heresy book. The scale is the same, a fair few of the 30k miniatures were released long before the Heresy line.

Zone Mortalis is completely compatible with the 30k rules, as are the 40k minis (although in my opinion, the HH models are so awesome they're worth the cost). To save buying the HH lore books, there is a rules-only army list also available from FW, basically a 30k codex.

30k is amazing, point blank it puts a lot of standard 40k to shame it really does.

My advice is to start off with the Crusade army list book. It is 93 pages of nothing but unit entries and wargear. You can use these entries for any Legion army. Depending on which Legion you chose you could also pick up the Isstvan III book as well, it has the first 11 legions including units unique to those legions which compliment the army list in the Crusade book, as well as the Primarchs for those legions.

The crusade book is the same price as a standard 40k codex.

30k is marine on marine combat, it doesn't have to be massive games, but as was said before you get more cool toys at larger point games. Not that running 20 man tactical squads with attached apothecaries isn't fun lol.

As far as the resin goes, I will argue with anyone that Forge World's models are the best of any mini game, but you don't have to go all out in resin. You can use MK 5 and 6 armour in a legion army and you can find that in most plastic marine kits. Primary thing is to avoid the Aquila, the double eagle of the emperor. during the time of the Heresy only the Emperor's Children had the right to wear it. Oddly enough they were one of the first legions to fall to chaos.

If you are on Facebook look up the group Crusade and Heresy it's an amazing group where you can get a lot of information. Also the Horus Heresy novel series from the Black Library is top notch.

I posted this in another thread but I will post it again, this is Mortarion primarch of the Death Guard who would fall to Nurgle and become the plague marines.



30k is an amazing thing, I have run my Imperial Fists against standard 40k armies and the games have always been enjoyable.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Because you asked about Zone Mortalis, I thought this might be appropriate, this is the Battle of Phall...

@valace2,
You my good sir, are a god send. That is a beautiful board with some great looking minis on it! Ha. So, is there anywhere I could find, let's say, just a list of the books that contain WH30k rules?

For the rules, look no further than http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/THE_HORUS_HERESY_LEGION_ASTARTES_GAMERS_COLLECTION.html
a bundle with the generic and Legion rules, or
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/THE_HORUS_HERESY_LEGIONES_ASTARTES:_CRUSADE_ARMY_LIST.html
for just the generic rules (if you don't want a legion that already has rules).

All the legions will be getting specific rules and models in time.

Okay, so just so I get this straight.

-The Crusade Army List has the generic rules for ALL legions?

Now my next question is:
Which legions are covered in the HH Trilogy? (Extermination, Massacre, Betrayal?)

And:
What is covered in the Legion Astartes: Isstvan Campaign Legions?

The Crusdade Army List has all the rules for Space Marines in 30k, so think of it like a codex but without the Chapter Tactics equivalents (I think).

The Istvaan Campaign is all 3 books already released, and includes Emperor's Children, Death Guard, Sons of Horus, World Eaters, Word Bearers, Night Lords, Iron Hands, Salamanders, and Iron Warriors, with special rules, characters and units for each.

 Paradigm wrote:
The Crusdade Army List has all the rules for Space Marines in 30k, so think of it like a codex but without the Chapter Tactics equivalents (I think).

The Istvaan Campaign is all 3 books already released, and includes Emperor's Children, Death Guard, Sons of Horus, World Eaters, Word Bearers, Night Lords, Iron Hands, Salamanders, and Iron Warriors, with special rules, characters and units for each.

Can't forget the Alpha Legion and the Imperial Fists

The Crusade book does have the Rites of War which are similar to chapter tactics. 2nd only the Primarchs are Praetors which could be considered 40k chapter masters, they can take one of several Rites of War that can drastically change the way you build out your army list.

Centurions are your 2nd HQ choice, you can build these guys out in many different ways, such as Librarians and Apothecary HQs. If you have ever heard of Cypher, he is based off the moritat which is sort of a crack shot gunslinger.

Legion units are so much fun.

Oh, so the Istvaan Campaign is just the rules for each Legion found in the HH trilogy, minus the fluff?



Automatically Appended Next Post:
And, are they making a second trilogy to cover everyone else?
Like Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Ultramarines, etc?

 Noremac wrote:
Oh, so the Istvaan Campaign is just the rules for each Legion found in the HH trilogy, minus the fluff?



Automatically Appended Next Post:
And, are they making a second trilogy to cover everyone else?
Like Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Ultramarines, etc?

Absolutely, might be a bit before we see the Blood Angels, but Ultramarines, Space Wolves, and the Thousand Sons (Ahriman was their Chief Librarian) shouldn't be to far off.

You get information on the characters and th units limited fluff, but no backstory for the individual legions, for that you will need the 3 core books, which while expensive are so worth it.