The Old World team are back again with another Development Diary, this time with an exciting look at some of the change to the rules from previous iterations of Warhammer.
When we embarked upon the daunting task of designing Warhammer: The Old World, we wanted to create a modern game in the mould of Warhammer Fantasy Battle*, a reimagining of a classic tabletop wargame that would appeal to both veterans of the Old World and newcomers to this most venerable of fantasy realms alike. With this in mind, we set about playing lots of games.**
For several months the designers regularly assembled to play games of every edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle, reminding ourselves of rules that in some cases we hadn’t played for decades. We wanted to identify which parts of a classic game we enjoyed the most, and which parts we felt could be improved upon. Here are some of the tweaks we’ve made to the rules.
Drawing the Battlelines
Warhammer: the Old World is a game of massed combat. Large armies form into regimented units that advance with grim intent towards the foe. The rules encourage players to field units of varying size based on their type and role. Perhaps most importantly, the formations units adopt (how wide or deep they are) are just as significant as where they are deployed and how quickly they advance.
The rules encourage units with wide frontages, but the ideal number of models per rank is decided by the player, not enforced by the rules. To do this, we’ve ensured that as many models as possible can fight in combat, giving even those models that are within the fighting rank but not in base contact with the enemy the opportunity to bring their weapons to bear.
Combined with the freedom to create and arm characters as you choose from a wide range of options, players have a lot of strategic choices to make when building their units and writing their muster lists, choices that will, in turn, inform their tactics on the battlefield.
Breaking the Enemy
One thing we were keen for Warhammer: the Old World to represent was the push and pull of battle, capturing the way in which a hard-pressed army will gradually succumb to fatigue and attrition. To achieve this, units that lose a round of combat will often give ground reluctantly rather than immediately breaking and fleeing, while the winner can advance to press their advantage.
Players will quickly learn, however, that a cunning enemy will use this push and pull of battling units to lay traps, and an advancing unit runs the risk of exposing a vulnerable flank to a well-timed counter charge!
The Power of Magic
Magic is integral to the game, though the mechanics of its use are simple. The untutored Wizards of the Old World practise strange Lores of Magic of their own devising, manipulating the Winds of Magic and crafting spells that suit their purpose. While such recklessness might alarm some, it gives Wizards freedom to cast a wide range of spells with ease.
To reflect this, spellcasting has been liberated and spread throughout the different phases of the game, rather than restricted to just one. In doing so, we’ve ensured that every spell available to a Wizard can have a significant impact upon the battle if cast in the right place and at the right time.
Situations where a single spell can decide the outcome of a battle are rare. The focus has shifted from keeping track of dice pools or hands of cards onto the positioning of Wizards.
This means players will have to plan ahead, moving their Wizards as carefully as any other unit, both to ensure they can bring their magic to the right place at the right time, and to ensure they can counter the spells of enemy Wizards.
Final Thoughts
These exciting game mechanics, and many more besides, combined with classic elements of a beloved game, give players both old and new plenty to consider when planning their armies and mastering their tactics. It’s an exciting time, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the serried ranks of fantasy armies marching across gaming tables once more!
* An early name for the game set in the Old World, it had previously been Warhammer the Mass Combat Fantasy Role-playing Game, then Warhammer Fantasy Battle Rules among others, before finally becoming Warhammer the Game of Fantasy Battles
** It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it…