Product Review: Warhammer 40K 8th Edition

Shortly before 2017 came to a close, I took the plunge and bought Warhammer 40,000’s Eighth Edition (WH 40K 8E).

Prior to this, I scavenged through used book stores for earlier editions.

Not one early edition either.

As a latecomer to the “grim darkness of the far future...” I ended up with Edition 5, 6, and 7 of the core rulebooks.  (Edition 7’s three-volume set was purchased after Edition 8 hit the shelves).

I didn’t limit my dabbling in WH40K to old rulebooks.  While Edition 7 was in its heyday, I started buying just about every used Edition 6 splatbook (codexes—supplements containing the specific details of a select faction) I could find.

Since I have yet to play a single game of any edition of WH40K, I’m not in a position to make any comparisons, good, bad, or indifferent.

I have though, noticed significant changes have been made with each new edition.  And Edition 8 is no exception.  The rules seem to be the most streamlined of the lot.  The blast templates used for determining casualties caused by flame weapons or explosives have been eliminated.  Also there’s nothing in the new core rulebook to set up a “starter game.”  That is, there’s no crunch (game statistics) about any of the factions’ troops or weapon systems within the core rulebook.

So players are forced to buy at least one splatbook.

Since the bulk of my WH40K force consists of “ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances," I went ahead and bought the latest codex for the Astra Militarum, (formerly known as the Imperial Guard)

In this regard I’m one of the lucky players to have a new codex for my main force.  Other players are still waiting for theirs.

I’m still waiting for a codex for my small force of Adepta Sororitas (a.k.a. The Sisters of Battle, or “nuns with guns”).

Fortunately, in the Index: Imperium 2, consists of the basic data,without the fluff, for me to utilize for my Battle Sisters, along with the team of Inquisitors I purchased at a wargame swap meet a few months ago.

So that's three 8E books I've purchased right off the bat--and I want to buy the upcoming codex for the Adepta Sororitas, and the Inquisition.

And at the risk of implying "I can quit whenever I want to" I don't plan on buying any more 8E splatbooks.  While it's a good strategy to study the capabilities of your opponents' forces, I figure I can get the gist of things with the earlier edition splatbooks.

I'm also plan on keeping earlier edition core rulebooks, because there's still gamers out there who continue to play by the old rules.

So from what little I know about actually playing WH40K, I like the rules.

Maybe I'll even like the game--if I ever get a chance to play.

If you want an in-depth review of the good, bad and ugly of 8E, here's one review by Miniwargaming on what they love and don't love about WH40K8E.

(Image: Adepta Sororitas by Anna Steinbauer)