Warhammer: The Old World FAQ Updates And Big Questions Answered
The Old World is getting some attention from Games Workshop with a new update on the status and some big FAQ answered.
Games Workshop is finally opening up about some of the big questions folks have had about Warhammer: The Old World since it was announced. Set a few hundred years before the End Times events, this is a going to be a massive reworking of the classic Warhammer Fantasy system – but more on that below. Let’s see exactly what’s going on with the Old World and get some answers to those burning questions.
Bases – Square or Round?
“Definitely square! Warhammer: The Old World is a reinvention of the classic rank-and-file game of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. Regiments move in ranked-up units, and strategic manoeuvring into position to launch or receive a critical charge will be as much a key part of the game as it ever was.”
This is a BIG deal. In fact, it’s so big, they reinterated this answer again in the same post. Seriously, it’s going to be square bases again and it’s going to rely on the old school rank-and-file game play of Warhammer Fantasy.
Scale – 10mm or 15mm?
“What? No! What madness is that?! The scale will remain the same as it ever was. We want people to be able to use their old armies if they wish, or to start new ones, or to add new miniatures to old armies – whatever they want.”
Well, that theory is out. It’s going to be the same heroic scale that it ever was (which is somewhere between 28mm and 35mm depending on which era of models you’re looking at). There’s a big difference between a modern Nagash and an old school Nagash.
Still, it’s good to know you’re old models are still going to be valid for use in the Old World setting. If you’ve still got a square base army, you’re still good to go!
Rules – Totally New or 8th Edition?
“Both! We’ve played every single edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles over the years and like every player, we have our favourite bits from each. Warhammer: The Old World will gather up all our favourite mechanics from the 3rd edition to the 8th edition and add new elements where needed to create something deeply familiar yet fresh and new.”
That make some sense. It will be curious to see how exactly they redo the rules and which mechanics they use from which edition. If you’ve got favorites we’d like to know what you’d like to see come back in the comments!
In terms of the setting and that whole “End Times” thing – here’s what they had to say:
“Keen-eyed observers will have gleaned by now that Warhammer: The Old World is going to be set several hundred years before the End Times, so there’s plenty of space to explore the history of the setting. Especially knowledgeable students may also note this puts us just before another calamitous Chaos invasion, and one which, while central to the story of the Empire and the entire Old World, was barely touched on in previous iterations…”
Games Workshop is also calling armies by their Old World names – Orcs are going to be Orcs. No new copyright friendly name changes here. That said, GW did tease some new information about the map and about a few of those spots on the map as well.
Map Update
During this time period, there is no one Empire – which means there is no one Emperor or Empress that is in control. It’s a bunch of elector states battling things out in a civil war. That also means Kislev is even more important during this time as a first line of defence against the force of Chaos.
“A country of stoic human warriors and cunning elemental sorcerers, Kislev has ever stood as the bulwark against incursions from the wild lands further north, whether that be the incessant raids of the ravening Norscan tribes or the all-consuming incursions of the Hordes of Chaos.”
The Kislev borders are also much larger than what some folks might remember as they stretch beyond the Worlds Edge Mountains and go well into eastern territories.
“Clearly, at this time Kislev was a vast empire indeed, its territories encompassing lands said by some to be haunted by Hobgoblins, Centaurs and Half-Orcs, though who can say which of these, if any, are true?”
This certainly paints Kislev and this area of the Old World in a new light. It’s going to be a lot of fun exploring this lore with a fresh perspective!
Based on the concept art I can’t wait to see what GW does with the Old World Models!
Release Date?!
For now GW isn’t saying. They have a LOT of work to do and right now they aren’t sharing any new info on release dates. This is NOT a “Soon(TM)” situation folks. It will be ready when it’s ready.
At least we’ve gotten some concrete information. Square Bases and 28mm heroic scale.
