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"Favorite WFB3 Rule?" Topic


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Achtung Minen04 Jan 2013 1:29 p.m. PST

What are some of your favorite rules that you have come across while rereading Warhammer Fantasy Battle 3rd Edition? Full disclaimer, I actually started in 4th/5th, but I heard about the Oldhammer renaissance and reading the 3rd Edition rulebook now has been quite a treat. It definitely has brought back memories of many of the things I enjoyed about earlier versions, and explains why I never had much success in finding a satisfying game of 6th/7th edition. So what are some of your favorite rules? I'll start a list:

1) The Free Hack: I find this to be much better than the "automatic run down and destroy entire unit" rule of later editions. It is still thoroughly bloody but it also allows a routed unit to turn around, rally and come back into the battle with a vengeance. Looking at a small handful of WFB3 battle reports, it seems like this happens a lot, which is a great way to keep your carefully painted and detailed unit in the narrative of the battle.

2) No Leadership Penalties: I haven't been able to find a single leadership penalty in the rulebook yet, which is appreciated. Sometimes it is hard enough to pass a Leadership 7 test, without reducing it further for other modifiers. This way, even a unit badly beaten in the first round of combat stands a chance of holding steady and dishing back some damage.

3) Fewer Attacks: Compared to later versions, each model has far fewer attacks (an approach changed by recent editions no doubt to sell more miniatures). Frenzy confers no extra attacks, spears only offer half of the second rank and additional hand weapons come with a -1/-2 penalty to hit. On top of that, the "to Hit" chart is more difficult (requiring an average of 5+ to hit). The result is that combats last a little longer and smaller units can last as long in a battle as units twice their size in later editions. Judging from WFB3 battle reports, the emphasize definitely seems to be on smaller warbands, who can perform the parts of much larger armies in more recent versions.

What are your favorite rules?

Ping Pong04 Jan 2013 2:10 p.m. PST

Pushback can get messy, but I kind of like it.

Initiative is more important than who charged.

Bob Applegate04 Jan 2013 2:32 p.m. PST

Armor Saves are not reduced by Strength – which I like.

Space Monkey04 Jan 2013 4:10 p.m. PST

I like all the odd stuff about baggage trains and the bits about mercenary bands negotiating mid-battle and switching sides. Those to elements are what got me interested in 3rd… having never played any version of WFB before (well, except for Rogue Trader).

Chef Lackey Rich Fezian04 Jan 2013 5:41 p.m. PST

Nippon's suicide bombers, no doubt. Also, Dwarven "bazuka" and flamethrower teams.

Griefbringer05 Jan 2013 2:39 p.m. PST

No Leadership Penalties

Not exactly Leadership penalty, but I think there are some creatures that induce a Coolness penalty on any fear tests they cause.

Achtung Minen05 Jan 2013 9:12 p.m. PST

I also really like the movement penalty for armour. Combined with the rules for deployment (slowest units deploy to the field first, giving faster units a tactical advantage in early positioning) it makes for a very interesting choice of strategy.

I haven't read the rules for baggage trains yet. I will have to check out that section and see what it's all about.

Mithmee05 Jan 2013 11:49 p.m. PST

The rules where you had to have a certain amount of standard troops before you can add anything else.

Would put a stop to many of the WAAC'ers of today.

rainbowbluespixie18 Jan 2013 2:46 a.m. PST

It's got to be Illusion spells! Maneuvering your whole flank to face those fully armoured knights bearing down on you.. only to find out they aren't real!! Toooo awesome :-)

BTW guys, if your interested in the whole 3rd ed ethos, check out my fledgling blog, I'll be regularly updating with oldhammer goodness:

link

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