"Warhammer 40K 8th Edition Free Rules" Topic

Well here is the link to the free rules.

link

A total of 8 whole pages.

So kinda lackluster since it is only 8 pages.

Yeah, but it lets you play without spending 60 dollars for a rule book.

Age of sigmar is a great game and it is only 4 pages.

I'm glad it is only 8 pages. That is about my attention span for reading rules these days.

Rules are a case where less is definitely more.

A total of 8 whole pages.

The rulebook's section devoted to the rules isn't much longer. And GW put the fluff (which take up the greater part of the book) in front of the actual rules this time.

It's a good thing. The main problem with the last three editions is that the rules became too convoluted and unwieldy. I'm sure keeping it short and sweet this time was their very intention.

The rules are free, but the unit information that you actually need to play the game is not.

So if I download this, all I need if I want to play Chaos Space Marines in 8th is the Chaos Index book. Right?

The rules are free, but the unit information that you actually need to play the game is not.

The miniatures are also not free. So unfair.

So if I download this, all I need if I want to play Chaos Space Marines in 8th is the Chaos Index book. Right?

Yes. Index Chaos includes unaligned CSM's as well as those who pledge allegiance to the four major Chaos deities. It also includes entries for all Daemons and Cultists.

Thanks Mithmee!

Two quick questions:

1. Are these the "full" rules? i.e., are there other/supplemental rules lurking in some of the paid products?

2. Are there free versions of the army lists?

1. There are campaign rules, scenarios and things like that in other products.

2. No, there are no free versions of the army lists. The amry lists come about 5 for $25. USD

Thanks!

I thought of a third question, specific to my son's collection:

3. Any word on a Crimson Fists army list? If not, would Vanilla Marine + Options (I assume) be the closest?

There is not a specific crimson fists lists although Imperial Index 1 has Pedro Kantor in it with an overview of the Crimson Fists.

You can get the lists Free-ish through the Battlescribe download.

No idea how accurate they are.

I'm a bit dissapointed with the army lists though- it seems that instead of having a small number of unit options that are each endlessly customizable (as I would wish) theyve instead gone for giving each army large numbers of almost identical unit choices (often with silly names to tell them apart) but with almost no options for each one. Well, not as many as you would have in say 2nd ed.

Makes it harder to fit older stuff and conversions in.

Mike: I suspect that the current army lists are just stepping stones on the way to more full fledged codex releases that might offer what you're seeking. I agree they're fairly non-customizable, but I also think that's the idea with this new edition of 40k.

Uninhibited customization will lead to imbalance and "power gaming."

Mithmee's comment reminds me of a joke.

Two old folks discussing a restaurant.

OF1: "The food there is terrible!"
OF2: "Yes, and such small portions!"

;-)

w.

ps the rules pdf is actually 15 pages, not 8. I count both sides of the page if there's writing on it [rolleyes]

Page 12 is still messed up – text is off the page :(

Looks OK in my pdf I just printed – maybe try downloading it again?

w.

Age of sigmar is a great game and it is only 4 pages

Actually Age of Sigmar also came with Warscrolls for every single unit.

Now 8th Edition might have these but I have not seen them yet.

$60 dollars for a rule book

The army lists come about 5 for $25 USD

So the real cost for 8th Edition is closer to $200 USD if you want all of the rules and could be far more.

So the real cost for 8th Edition is closer to $200 USD USD if you want all of the rules and could be far more.

And the index books are only temporary. They are going to be replaced with individual codexes in short order. I think its a little cheeky of GW to say "Here buy these $25 USD books that are going to be worthless in a year or so so we can sell you new $50 USD books that might last two years until the new edition drops"

"And the index books are only temporary."

Everything is only temporary.

That is how this works. That is how you stay in business.

I find it almost impossible to believe that people don't get this by now. If you want to run a business you have to make money. GW knows how to do it.

Age of Sigmar was a bigger risk than 8th edition 40K. They had to provide more content for a better price to get people interested. They did a very good job of that.

Age of Sigmar is selling much better than WHFB was in the last few years.

If the fact that I haven't even been able to but the index I want is any indication because the local store is sold out, then I'm guessing they made a good play with these too.

It isn't cheeky of GW to say that.

It is a way to get all of the lists out quickly and at a relatively low cost while they ramp up the regular production of the books they make their money from.

No player has to wait to field his army in the new edition. They can be playing with their index right from the start.

You would think that GW would be praised for this, people not having to wait around to see how their army does, or being out matched right from the beginning by using an out of date list.

"So the real cost for 8th Edition is closer to $200 USD USD if you want all of the rules and could be far more."

Yes. So what? What is your point here?

If you want to play the game you can pay as little as $25. USD

If you want more you pay more. If you want everything you pay much more.

That is how things work.

Do you complain because a car costs $18,000 USD but if you want back up cam, moon roof, heated seats and so on it costs $22,000. USD

Maybe you think McDonalds should sell a value meal for $8 USD and then you can upgrade to a shake, a large fry, an extra sandwich and some nuggets for free?

And then even if you want everything it is still only $185. USD

chuck05 might have a point. GW could have held off on the 8th edition release until all the codices are ready and release them all at roughly the same time.

Sure, makes sense. In fact why doesn't GW release all of their future releases for the next 5 years all at once? They should also just skip 8th edition and release 9th edition at the same time, save people some money. Lord knows a $25 USD book that allows one to play their chosen 40K army for a year is far too expensive an investment. <eyeroll>

Point taken, HUBCommish

Except for the fact that GW already did most of the groundwork for the codices with these stop-gap indices, which makes us wonder if the indices are really necessary in the first place.

It would have been better if they delayed 8th edition by a couple months so that they can put the information from these indices into proper codices, add the usual fluff/background material and other final touches. I don't think they're that far apart.

Or they could have did what they did with Age of Suckmar and put all the armies online for free. Why was it ok to do it before and not now?

Seems like this should be common sense, but let me for the moment go with the old saying that common sense is far from common. Games Workshop, like other companies, stagger their releases so as to not overwhelm their customers. It would be the height of stupidity to release not only a new rulebook and starter set and accompanying accessories, but also 20+ $30 USD-$50 hardcover books on the same day.

Also I imagine it is safe to say when they do get around to releasing each new codex, there will be a number of new units for each army released concurrently. One thing GW took away from the Chapterhouse lawsuit is that they need to always offer miniatures in their catalog for each unit in the game; they can under no circumstances allow other companies to get their foot in the door with offerings for units with no official miniatures.

Based on this, are you suggesting that GW should release these 20+ hardcover codices on 40k8 release day, and within a matter of months or weeks begin to offer new versions of the codices that include whatever new miniatures releases that are coming up for each army?

Chuck, my guess is GW released the rules online for AoS minis for free because they wanted to make it as easy as possible for a player to switch from Warhammer 8 to AoS. Based on the sheer amount of crankiness from folks who, for instance, refer to the game as "Age of Suckmar," they were correct in assuming convincing folks to switch over would be tough. However, GW knows they have 40k players by the short and curlies and that they will shell out a measly $25 USD for the rules to their armies. It's called a business decision.

Yes. So what? What is your point here?

That it is not free.

indices are really necessary in the first place.

Not really but GW sees this as a way to get more money from their fanboyz.

"That it is not free."

The rules are free. Army lists aren't. Figures aren't. No one said it would be free to play 40K. They said the rules are free.

They are.

I believe they put the AOS armies on line for free as WFB was on life support in their eyes. I don't like AOS but it seems to have been successful in sales for them so far.

I need to get a chance to play a few games of the new free WH40K rules before I decide to buy codexes. The price is fine. A $25 USD codex is less than I spent for a movie last week for my wife & I.

Goddamn is Pictors a ing white knight for GW or what?

Free rules are useless if you cannot play the game because vital information is missing. Namely the unit/army information found on the datasheets.

Datasheets come with the models.

Er…

I downloaded the rules for Free.

I donwloaded battlescribe with all the army lists for free.

I can now play 40k 8th ed for Free.

Ergo it is Free, though it doesn't have to be.

In principle it can be free to play…but I probably won't actually bother.

TMP, last refuge of the cheap and bitter….

"Free rules are useless if you cannot play the game because vital information is missing. Namely the unit/army information found on the datasheets."

They are hardly useless. You don't have to pay more for them. So instead of a $25 USD army book plus a $30 USD-60 rulebook it is $25. USD You can play with your old army, in the new edition, for $25. USD

People are saying it costs nearly $200 USD to play the new edition. In past editions people have complained that you need an all new codex, a new rulebook etc. to play.

Now you need $25 USD and your old army.

Games Workshop, like other companies, stagger their releases

I totally get it. GW doesn't release codices in any predictable fashion. After all, this is the company that released the last two Space Marine codices within three years of each other and two Imperial Knights codices within only two, while other codices that needed an update had to wait much longer.

With these indices, GW can release the codices in any order at any time they want, like they've always done.

I was just thinking as a gamer rather than a company that's all.

Naturally, trolls are going to whine over the cost of the army indexes (plural like codexes). What's new. All I can say is that $20 USD would have been a better price point.

And yes, AoS armies were free to up-sell a whole new world, which need not be done with 40k. It also worked because they could hand folks a list for the ultimately phased-out factions, like pure Warhammer dwarves, which don't really exist in the AoS world.

BTW, I'm still waiting on my squat war-scolls.

I don't think free army lists would make a difference to someone who hates 40k. Providing free hardback rulebooks and a complete set of free indexes to every person who walked into a GW store would just be intepreted as a blatant cash grab because of a potential sales pitch from the gw employee and because the minis are still not free, and probably because not everyone can get to a GW store.

would make a difference to someone who hates 40k.

Danm straight. They'll just find something else to b!tch and moan about. Had GW offered both free rules and army lists online they will just say it's nothing short of a shameless ploy to get unwitting suckers to buy their "overpriced" miniatures and models, which means they're not free really.

It's not that hard for the h8ers. Right, Mithmee?

You are correct.

But GW has been building on the hate for years.

If I really wanted to have some fun I would walk into the local GW Store and ask about WFB.

But that would mean having to walked into their store.

Those jerks have YET to come to my house and paint all my minis for me.

According to the rulesheet future box sets of minis will include the datasheet to use them. Just have to wait for 7th edition stock of minis to sell out so the new stock with datasheets will get released.