1. What is it?
2. Release date
3. Factions
4. Story
5. US deals
6. UK deals
7. FAQ
The land of legend has returned in Warhammer: The Old World after 15 years away. But why is that a big deal? And what's this revived wargame about?
To help clear all that up, we've put together this guide covering everything you need to know about Warhammer: The Old World. That includes an overview of its factions, rules, lore, availability, and more. You can hear our hands-on impressions of the game itself, too.
Just want to see where you can buy it? Not to worry – we've got updates on where you can currently pick up Warhammer: The Old World.
What is Warhammer: The Old World?
- Mass-battle system with blocks of troops
- A reimagining of an older wargame
- Uses larger armies than other Warhammer games
Rather than being an all-new game, Warhammer: The Old World is more of a revival. It resurrects Warhammer Fantasy Battles (which was publisher Games Workshop's first wargame) with all-new rules after it was shuttered over a decade ago.
Basically, it's a mass-battle system with crunchy rules and depth to spare. That means you'll be commanding blocks of troops rather than the individual skirmishers you'd find in something like Warhammer 40,000.
Because its universe is the stuff of classic swords 'n' sorcery, you can choose from a variety of fantasy staples as well. We're talking knights in shining armor, dwarves, elves, and orcs.
Warhammer: The Old World is an origin story for the apocalypse
Warhammer Community
So, why is this game called 'The Old World?' That title is a reference to its setting, which is commonly referred to as 'The Old World' in-universe.
That name has a double meaning, though. To be precise, publisher Games Workshop destroyed the Old World (via demonic apocalypse) in 2015 to make way for its new, follow-up setting - Age of Sigmar. As a result, the title is quite literal.
Warhammer: The Old World release date
The new wargame is due to hit shelves on January 20, 2024. You can theoretically pre-order it now, but most products with an Old World label have been selling fast. In fact, some retailers ran out of stock just a couple of days after pre-orders began.
We don't know yet how often the game will be updated with fresh rules and new models, but it'll probably be a few months until we get reinforcements for other factions.
Warhammer: The Old World factions
- Nine factions are available
- Only two have new miniatures right now
- You can use your old Warhammer Fantasy armies
At the time of writing, there are nine Warhammer: The Old World factions up for grabs. While that's not every army from the setting, there's a good reason why some are absent in the game (which we'll go into later).
Here's who you can play as:
While it's true that there aren't new models for every army (just Bretonnians and Tomb Kings at the time of writing), you can still use any Warhammer Fantasy Battle force you have lying around. In addition, these factions will apparently receive reinforcements at some point down the line.
Which factions are missing from Warhammer: The Old World?
Half a dozen armies have been left out of The Old World, and fans of those forces are understandably upset. These are the missing factions:
- Skaven
- Vampire Counts
- Lizardmen
- Daemons of Chaos
- Chaos Dwarfs
- Ogres
- Dark Elves
According to Games Workshop, they were left out of the party because they weren't active (or were minding their own business far away) during the time in which The Old World is set.
While this is disappointing, each of these factions will receive free PDF rules for use in The Old World.
Warhammer: The Old World story
- Set centuries before the original game
- Described as the start of an apocalypse
- Leads to this universe's "Horus Heresy moment"
Because The Old World is set hundreds of years before previous plots (which played out across countless novels and the now-defunct Warhammer Fantasy Battles game), things are more peaceful than fans will be used to. Of course, that means it's about to hit the fan in the worst way possible.
The first core sets revolve around Tomb King Settra's invasion of a region called the Border Princes, and the noble Bretonnian knights have ridden south to face his undead armies. We suspect this will start a domino effect that leads us to the infamous Siege of Praag, an event already being teased by the developers. This saw a resurgence of the resurgence of Chaos hordes that's already being teased by the developers, and these warriors will eventually destroy the world.
When is Warhammer: The Old World set?
Despite returning us to the universe of Warhammer Fantasy Battles (which was introduced in 1983), The Old World is set a couple of centuries before that story. More specifically, The Old World's narrative takes place around 2276 on the timeline as opposed to 'The End Times' date of 2520-something. Although that era is every bit as grimdark as its future incarnation, things are more hopeful on the whole – the setting has enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace despite some political turmoil.
You won’t see the Siege of Praag any time soon, but the wheels have been set in motion…
Warhammer Community
Naturally, it won't stay that way. The pivotal Siege of Praag (which saw a massive Chaos horde invade, marking the beginning of the end) is just a few decades away, and there are rumblings from developers on the official Warhammer Community site that we'll see those events play out on tabletop some day. Indeed, it was noted that "you won’t see the Siege of Praag any time soon, but the wheels have been set in motion…"
Warhammer: The Old World US deals
- Ravening Hordes book |
$50$42.50 at Gamers Guild - Forces of Fantasy book |
$50$42.50 at Gamers Guild - Bretonnia Arcane Journal |
$27$22.95 at Gamers Guild - Tomb Kings Arcane Journal |
$27$22.95 at Gamers Guild - Modular Movement Trays |
$40$34 at Herrick Games - Pegasus Knights |
$60$51 at Herrick Games - Battle Standard on Royal Pegasus |
$65$55.25 at Gamers Guild - Tomb Guard |
$80$68.99 at Gamers Guild - Sepulchral Stalkers | $59.99 at Third Eye Games
- Necrosphinx | $74.99 at Third Eye Games
- Core Rulebook | $69.99 at Third Eye Games
Warhammer: The Old World UK deals
- Core Rulebook |
£42.50£36.13 at Wayland Games - Ravening Hordes book |
£30£26.40 at Firestorm Games - Forces of Fantasy book |
£30£25.50 at Wayland Games - Bretonnia Arcane Journal |
£16£15 at Firestorm Games - Tomb Kings Arcane Journal |
£16$13.60 at Hobby Workshop - Modular Movement Trays |
£25£20 at Wayland Games - Pegasus Knights |
£37.50£30 at Wayland Games - Battle Standard on Royal Pegasus |
£40$32 at Wayland Games - Tomb Guard |
£47.50£38 at Wayland Games - Sepulchral Stalkers |
£37.50£30 at Wayland Games - Necrosphinx |
£45£36 at Wayland Games
Warhammer: The Old World FAQ
What makes Warhammer: The Old World different?
Warhammer: The Old World is a mass-battle tabletop game where you command miniature fantasy armies. While that could describe anything produced by Games Workshop, the scope is far bigger here.
More specifically, your forces include rank upon rank of soldiers who move as a single unit. Positioning is far more important as a result; there's a real focus on charges and where an enemy hits your troops, allowing for devastating flanking maneuvers if you play it smart.
The Old World is still recognizably Warhammer, and still recognizable to players who play and remember [Fantasy Battles]
Warhammer Community
Finally, The Old World is more 'classic' fantasy than Games Workshop's other swords 'n' sorcery setting, Age of Sigmar. This is a pick-n-mix of everything cool about fantasy fiction.
As per usual for Warhammer, all of The Old World's models are supplied unassembled and unpainted. Notably, they also come with larger 25mm bases to help units line up easily.
Can you use your old Warhammer Fantasy Battles armies?
It's been confirmed that you can - and are encouraged to - use your pre-existing Warhammer Fantasy Battles collection for The Old World. However, there's a caveat. Some factions aren't featured in the game's time-period, so won't get any updates or support for the forseeable future.
In addition, competitive play requires you to use The Old World's larger 25mm bases. Alternatively, you can put your models onto the new Movement Trays that provide them with an appropriate footprint on the battlefield.
Why are factions missing from Warhammer: The Old World?
Despite what you might think, the absence of some armies isn't a comment on their quality or a cheeky sales tactic. Rather, it's due to lore that was established quite a while ago – and long before this game came into being.
During this time period, many factions simply weren't as active. Skaven ratmen found themselves in the midst of a civil war, for example (which is why they've become the stuff of legend by the era seen in Warhammer Fantasy Battles). Chaos was gathering strength, so Daemons sat it all out. The Vampire Counts had been wiped out in the recent past, and they wouldn't return for a long time. Meanwhile, Lizardmen, Chaos Dwarfs, Ogres, and Dark Elves were all insular civilizations at this point that lived far, far away from The Old World.
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