"Who's read the Warhammer Historical Great War Rules?" Topic

Can't say I'm interested in WWI, but I'm very interested in hearing what they've done to 40k (It is based on that, right?) to make it suitable for WWI. THanks.

I am very curious about this. Given the economy, 20mm plastics makes it very tempting.

In a few weeks, I'll be getting in the WH GW Army Lists.

THE GREAT WAR British, French & German 1914-1918 Western Front Army lists. Sample army rosters. Stanard and Opertional Missions. Play Aids. 1vol, 160pgs 2008 UK, WARHAMMER HISTORICAL
NEW-softcover …..$38…here in 2-3 weeks

Dennis from OMM
onmilitarymatters.com

onmilitarymatters,
is there no list for Belgians in the book????
If not, then I don't think I will buy the book :-(
I'm currently painting my early war Belgians.

For me it is missing out the AEF and the Meuse-Argonne that moves it down the queue.

But Rob assures us there will be supplements, and that much had to be left out as the authors wrote too much ;-)

Lots of fronts and actions to cover.

Ok, but who's actually read the rules? Can anyone provide a short review?

I ain't springing for the rules unless I know a lot more about them.

Over on the WAB forum they said the plan is to eventually cover everything from the period. I'm wondering how long it will be until they get to RCW? I'm planning on doing late war French so they can double as Haller's Army. I'd love to do a campaign with the Czech Legion as well.

I helped Mike write it – why do I have to read it? (Never mind the fact the last six months he spent in the editing process I was apart from the whole process dealing with a new baby.) So take this with a grain of salt:

For the most part it is 40k. Sure they enumerated the small arms and made distinctions between heavy machine guns and the army lists tried to be representative of the real force organizations. But it is 40k without teleporters, giant monsters, whirling-slicing elves with swords, jump packs, mechanized infantry, magic holy technology, etc. It is infantry sections of guard armies going up against infantry sections of guard armies. It takes a couple of games to get used to the slower pace from the sci-fi 40k, but it is surprising how much fun it really is.

And apparently it is the old 40k, as a new one is just about to come out the door. It is unfortunate they didn't mention that to Mike until about 2 months ago.

They spent a lot of time trying to come up with more appropriate rules for machine guns, to get something more than simply the direct fire aspect in the present 40k. That is one part I do need to reread because it changed some since last fall as I don't know the final result of the MG rules.

How (if at all) do various sizes of mortars/grenade throwers fit in? What is the recommended base size for the basic infantryman-PBI? Or do these rules not worry about basing? I never played 40K so I don't have that precedent as a guide.

How do you explain it to someone who has never played 40K. You say it is just masses of guard infantry vs guard infantry? Is this single figures in skirmish mode, or base mounted troops. If skirmish, does it allow for tranch raids. Is this pre-trench timeframe where troops moved in the open fields. When I have seen 40k it looked like large numbers of single figures in groups being moved by players who threw lots of dice.

As with almost any other squad based skirmish set of rules, figures in 40K (and I assume in TGW) are based individually and moved as units. So trench raids and such would be very game-able.

40k is normally played around the platoon level, with variance down to squad and up to company. "28"mm individually based, moving and attacking as whole squads (though you do all your move, then all shooting, then all HTH), entire side turn-based. All d6s.

Typically three rolls to determine kills: did *I* hit, did *I* wound, did *You* have something to stop the wound. Because of this, all of a squad is typically rolled enmass. Roll the hits, pull out the misses, roll what is left to wound, opponent then rolls vs the successful wounds with armor or cover saves and removes models.

In WW1 there will probably be very few armor saves, so terrain and cover will be very important.

With no aliens or genetically engineered supermen in power armor, most of the 40k special rules simply vanish. This is a good thing. 40k LOS rules can be hopelessly bizarre, which will continue to be a bad thing.

Having read Dulce et Decorum Est a few too many times, I look forward to the mechanic used to handle gas and the related protection.

It probably lies at the exact oposite end of the rules style/philosophy spectrum from WRG/DBX. Instead of rigidly and obfuscatory rules written in an arcane cant I expect rules written in plain English (they way people speak it) with suggestions to just roll a die when a situation arises that the rules don't cover.

Lots and lots of dice rolled in great bunches, rather than 1 die with lots of modifying factors for a single unit.

Movement, shooting etc by single figures, morale by units.

The game is stated to include 1914 and 1918 lists, so early and late war are represented. Likely both trench and non-trench warfare.

A nominal 1:3 figure:man ratio. As much of an emphasis on scenario play and historical research as on tournament play, possibly more. certainlt the other Warhammer Historical rules have concentrated more on getting the historical performance right and less on balance between armies that were widely seperated in both time and space against each other.

"large numbers of single figures in groups being moved players who threw lots of dice" is a fair description of most Warhammer Historical games as long as you don't forget to add "and having great fun doing it".

If you like rolling dice you probably like it, if you don't like rolling dice you probably won't.

sounds fun to me. looking forward to getting it here in the US.

Can you describe how machine gun fire works in these rules? Thanks.

I got mine yesterday in a big box. Lovely book -masses of great pictures.
One thing I was hoping for was overwatch fire-something I always liked in one of the 40K versions( I don't know if it still in 40K!)- but its not there- never mind. Anyway I'm looking forward to playing this and after all Warhammer based stuff can be tinkered with easily, so if I want to fiddle about with overwatch theres nothing stopping me..
Mind you, if I was doing the section on the French, especially in 1914, there'd be pictures of Zouaves all over the place! They get the briefest of mentions under Chasseurs and the Turcos not at all.
Shame that Battle Honours didn't get a mention under manufacturers.
Also, I'd venture, if you're looking to get those 40K youths into historicals, this could be the one.

Hi Coopman, from a first reading the mavhine gun rukles look good.
They can fire in a sustained mode or a sweeping fire mode (using a template) at 36 and 24 inch range respectively. Both modes are capable of pinning troops as well as causing casualities.
I also like the rules for guns jamming, which actually represents any event that causes the guns to stop firing-overheating etc. When you chuck your firing dice (lots!)ones cause the jams in various multiples according to the number of crew.
Finally I like the way that once you've set your gun and started firing you can't move it again- after all this isn't the blitzkrieg!

Oh look by the end of the first line I've already invented two new words!

You can find an overview of the book contents on the WHW web site.

We are planning to add lots of supporting content during the next couple of weeks and months.

The book has never tried to cover every army and every front of The Great War, there are too many!

This is, first and foremost, the rules for playing and getting started..

But we are planning a series of supplements, and indeed, the first two are mentioned on the inside back cover…

Finally, its worth mentioning the offical release for the book is this week, we launched last weekend, and advance orders from the WHW web site have shipped early as well.

Hope some of that helps.