8th edition rumors from Warseer

[Jack Shrapnel]

All non-english rulebooks are moving to inches.
Warhammer 8th Ed Rulebook to be released July 10th
528+ pages. Full colour
Introduction games for Warhammer 8th edition starting around May 22nd (only one scenario apparently)
The book is up for advance order from a swedish store. £45.
Definitely going to get the pdf erratas for all armies on July 10th
Rulebook will come with next black box, so all shops can make demo day by 12th June.

There will be a "General's" Edition as well as a "Gunner's" Edition: Both are the basic rulebook along with multiple different gimmicks, as golden templates, dice, angulometer, combat-resolution-calculator, markers and more. "General's Edition" is supported with a white linen bag with two silver coins attached to it, so if you fall in battle, they may put them on your eyes...


ARMY SELECTION AND OTHER BITS

Army construction is moving back to percentages.

25% max lords (includes mounts)
25% max heroes
25% min core
50% max special
25% max rare

Everyone who saw a test game are saying it’s 25% lord 25% hero

Just so I am clear on this, as there has been some misunderstanding, you can have a lord level character leading a small army if you want to (within the points), you don't have to take a hero as you do currently. I have heard nothing about unit champions being the general

Categories for core/special/rare are remaining.
Special Choices: No more than 3 of the same type - Examples; No more than 3 units of Chaos Knights, or 3 units of Forsaken etc in the same army.
Rare Choices: No more than 2 of the same type - Examples; No more than 2 Hellcannons, or 2 Chaos Giants etc in the same army.
High Elves ignore all these restrictions as they have the Elite Army special rule.
These numbers are increased when having games of 3000 points or more. (Up to 6 special and 4 rare) Could be +1 of the same type of special and rare per 1000pts.

Allied Forces
Allied forces will not get a % allocation. However, rules for using allied forced (i.e. an updated allied forces chart) are in the rulebook.
Allies are now split into 3 groups:

Forces of Order: High Elves, Wood Elves, Lizardmen, Empire, Dwarfs and Brettonia

Forces of Destruction: Chaos of any kind, Skaven, Greenskins, Dark Elves (edit. Vampire Counts may go here).

Neutral: Ogres and Tomb Kings

The allies rules are intended to be used by more than 2 players. You are not supposed to use more than one armybook in your army.
Allies from the same grouping are allowed to use the other army General’s leadership, but cause panic in units of the other army if they are forced to flee. If an allied unit is forced to flee through another ally from a different group, the stationary unit counts as dangerous terrain (see below under terrain).

Example: High Elves (Force of Order) flee through Warriors of Chaos (Force of Destruction).
If you are allied with Dark Elves or Skaven you have to roll every friendly turn in order to see what sort of ally they are (need more info on this).


There will be a system wide errata to clear up issues for each army.
You may measure distances whenever you want.


MOVEMENT

Single models have a 180 degree arc of sight. Units still have a 90 degrees arc of sight

Standard Movement
Measure the distance for the furthest moving model, and perform whatever manoeuvres you wish within that lax limitation (i.e. they all move like fast cav currently do, minus the reform).
Musician = At the end of their movement phase, a unit with a musician may reform for free.

(edit: As it has caused some confusion, these are all only additions to what the musician currently does)

Charging.
Rumoured to be:

Infantry M1-M6 = Basic Movement value + 2D6
Fast Attack M7+ (Cavalry and fliers) = Basic Movement value + 3D6 use 2 highest)

+1CR for charging. -Avian (more likely)
Units charged by multiple enemies can change their charge reaction. For instance, you hold against the first enemy that charges you, then change it to flee when the second unit charges you.

Failed Charge
You move basic movement only.


Fliers
Move 10 " and march 20 ". They ignore terrain whilst moving. While fleeing or pursuing, they use their ground movement. (note: the ground movement part may not be entirely correct)

Fast Cavalry
Apparently Fast Cavalry may make a free 12" move at the beginning of the game, but cannot charge an enemy in the first turn, and cannot end their movement within 12”.

Fleeing/Pursuing
Fleeing/pursuit is rolled for the same way as charging. Units fleeing through impassable terrain and enemy units; see below under dangerous terrain.

Wheeling
Units can wheel up to 90 degrees without penalty.

Pursuit
When you charge and reach a fleeing unit, you only wipe it out if you pass a Ld test.

Marching.
Double Movement distance as normal. When there's an enemy within 8", the unit has to pass a leadership test to march. Not sure how this applies to Dwarfs.

Reforming
Units containing a musician can do a free reform after failing a charge if they pass a Ld test. Units may reform after the combat phase, but cannot have less models in base contact. Units that lost the combat resolution have to make a Ld test in order to reform.
At the end of their movement phase a unit with a musician may reform for free. Not sure if they can shoot after this.


Heavy cavalry
Unchanged. Rumour was wrong, heavy cav march as normal.

Skirmishers
Skirmishers are now a fixed formation, and must be deployed with a 1/2 inch gap between each and every model.
X = Model
O = 1" Gap between

X O X O X O X O X
O O O O O O O O O
X O X O X O X O X

Skirmishers still rank up in combat, but as they do not get a rank bonus they cannot negate enemy rank bonuses. As long as they are not charging, Skirmishers can reform on the move as often as they wish and also march and shoot.
Skirmishers are always stubborn in a forest.

Skirmishers do not have 360 degree Line of sight.


Redirecting charges
If I have understood this correctly, it seems we’re going back to 6th ed rules. You can redirect a charge at any other valid target following the normal rules for declaring charges, not just at an enemy unit lying on your direct pursuit path.


MAGIC

NOTE: The magic rumours nobody seems to agree on, so rather than try and find what exactly the truth is I will just put here most of the theories

Edit: I've sorted out the ones that seem more likely, based on the info from anonymous sources:

Generating Power and Dispel Dice
Power dice aren’t generated by the number of spellcasters. The amount of dice is decided by 2D6. The active player gets the total as power dice and the other player the highest throw as dispel dice (throw 3+5, = 8 PD and 5 DD). (confirmed)

Channeling (confirmed that it exists)
Each wizard may roll a D6 and generate an additional power dice on a roll of 6.
Each enemy wizard may roll a D6 and generate an additional dispel dice on a roll of 6.
You may not channel while fleeing, off the board or when you suffer from stupidity..

Maximum Power and Dispel Dice
The maximum number of power or dispel dice you may have at any time is 12. This includes any power/dispel dice generated by special rules, spells and/or magic items.

You cannot channel over 12 power or dispel dice.

The only items that allow you to use more than 12PD a turn are items that add the dice directly to the roll, such as a Power Stone or the Slann's ability.

Casting Spells
To cast a spell, roll 1 to 6 Power dice and add your caster's power level. EG: A Slann casts fireball and uses 2D6. He rolls a 3 and a 4 - score of 7. He than adds his Power Level of 4, which results in a total roll of 11.

Dispelling
Caster levels are now added to dispel rolls.

Miscasting
Here is where I think we need a lot more information.
It is rumoured that miscasts are entirely gone, but are replaced by a combined irresistible force/ miscast table effectively:

When you roll a double 6 the spell is cast with irresistible force, but the Caster has to roll on the "lost control" chart, which is devastating, and far more worse than the current miscast table.

Lost Control Chart
Roll of 1: Could be S10 hit for caster and models in base contact.

Roll of 4: The wizard is sucked into the warp and the large template is centred over him. S10 hits for models under a 5” template, centred on the wizard. Also, roll a D6. On a roll of 1-3 your wizard is plunged into the realm of chaos, ond a 4+ you lose D6 power dice instead.

Determining Spells
Each lore now has 7 Spells. One Basic Spell and other spells numbered 1 - 6.
While writing the armylist, you will have to note which lore your magic users will use. You may not wait until you see the enemies forces. - I'm not sure how well that will actually work in practice...
Next you need to see which casters can have which spells. Roll D6 and see which spell you got, similar to how it is now. Any spell can be swapped for the Basic Spell. If you roll double for a spell you have to re-roll until you have the required number for the wizard level.
As no two spells from the rulebook Lores can be duplicated in the army (except the Basic Spell), if you want more than 1 wizard to have spells from the same lore you now have a choice to make.

Example: You have 3 wizards you want to use the Lore of Fire. A level 4, a level 3 and a level 1.

Do you give the level 4 wizard 3 spells + the Basic Spell? Or 4 spells and leave the remaining 2 spells plus the Basic Spell for the level 3 wizard? The level 1 wizard has no options other than the Basic Spell in this example, as all the other spells have already been taken.

There are some exceptions to this way of choosing spells:
Bound spells
Spells the caster knows "naturally", eg Warrior Priests or Khemri Priests
Spells that are not rolled for but bought, i.e. Necromancers.


Bound spells
Bound spells are cast like normal spells now, but instead of your caster's power level, you add the level of the magic item. (Not 100 % sure on this one)
Every magic user has access to the pool.

Most spells generally have a basic and an up-powered version (more likely) – Avian
Something rumoured is carrying over power dice, but holding too many could lead to a ‘magic backlash’. Wizard will recieve wounds or hits if he didn't use the excess power-dice (than originally allocated) at end of the turn.
Each lore to get a mega spell.
Spells can be chosen, not rolled for, but can't be duplicated in the same army with the exception of the first spell of the lore -Avian (more likely)

If you roll a 1 or 2 when casting a spell, the spell automatically fails regardless of modifiers and the wizard may no longer cast this turn.
Some spells will scale up.


Spells are now categorized. There are: Missiles, Curses, Buffs, Direct Damage and Power Whirl spells.
Missiles: Require Line of Sight and may not be cast into close combat.
Curses: Modify enemy stats and/or equipment
Buffs: Support your own troops
Direct damage: Spells that use templates or apply to the whole target unit.
Power whirls: Apply to all of the battlefield or move across the table.!?
It is rumoured that ‘remains in play’ spells are not auto dispelled by casting another spell.

Lore of Fire - The Wind of Aqshy

Special Bonus: If the enemy suffered a wound from a fire lore spell earlier this magic phase, the caster is granted a Bonus of +3 when casting a fire spell upon the same target.

Missiles:
Fireball; which sounds like it could be D6 S4, or 2D6 S5, or 3D6 S6 hits.

Flaming Arrows 48" Range. S4

Curses:

Buffs:
Flaming Sword(s) of Rhuin: Unit Buff. Grants +1 to wound and flaming attacks.

Direct damage:

Power whirls:

Lore of Metal - The Wind of Chamon

Special Bonus: Direct damage spells from the lore of metal have no strength value. Instead the unmodified armour save of the target is the required roll to wound. This causes flaming attacks and ignores armour saves.

Missiles:

Curses:
Swap the enemies armour save for their toughness, e.g. 1+ save and toughness 3 becomes toughness 1 and 3+ save.

Buffs:
Possibly a spell that grants every unit in 12" scaly skin (5+ armour)
Direct damage:

Power whirls:

Lore of Shadow - The Wind of Ulgu

Special Bonus: After the wizard successfully casts a spell, he may switch places with another friendly character of the same unit type.

Missiles:

Curses:

Buffs:
One spell you can switch the position of two characters that are 'within 18"' (not sure if they have to be within 18" of each other, or just to the caster).

Direct damage:

Power whirls:

Lore of Beasts - The Wind of Grrrr (Ghur)

Special Bonus:

Missiles:
Curses:
Buffs:
Direct damage:
Power whirls:

Lore of Heavens - The Wind of Azyr

Special Bonus:

Missiles:
Curses:
Buffs:
Direct damage:
Power whirls:

Lore of Light - The Wind of Hysh

Special Bonus:

Missiles:
Curses:

Buffs:
Unit Buff: All units within 12” have +1 attack and double movment,

Unit Buff: All units within 12” have Initiative 10 and Weapon Skill 10

Unit Buff:

Unit Buff:

Direct damage:
Power whirls:

Lore of Life - The Wind of Ghyran

Special Bonus:

Missiles:
Curses:
Buffs:
Direct damage:
Power whirls:

Lore of Death - The Wind of Shyish

Special Bonus: For each wound caused by lore of death spells, roll a D6. On a roll of 5+ you are granted an additional power dice.

Missiles:
Curses:
Buffs:
Direct damage:
Power whirls:
Purple Sun. A crystal sphere drifting above the battlefield. It uses the 3 inch template, moving artillerydice multiplied by 3 inches from the wizard into a chosen direction. Each model touched has to pass a I-test or is removed from play.


And the other rumours:
Each spell can be cast once per magic phase, regardless of how many casters there are. - Avian says this is possibly speculation

Dispel scroll only adding dispel dice (+2 dice to the dispel dice pool once per game). (edit - possibly speculation)

[fritzthedwarf]

If the army construction percentages are true then I guess the rumours about nerfing herohammer are not true since 50% of your points can still be spent on leaders. I hope this is wrong - I would prefer more emphasis on units and less on leaders.

[Jack Shrapnel]

Sadly, it seems as though this is not wrong, and it is indeed up to 50% of your army can be amongst lords and heros (although getting that full 50% is difficult, given that the 25% is distinct for lords only - if you use 20% that doesn't give you another 5% left over for heroes... (it does make a difference)...

It would seem that if you spent 50% of your army in heroes / lords, and your minimum 25% in core, it doesn't leave you much for specials and rares...

but yes, it does appear that herohammer is completely possible...

...now if you play orcs & goblins, think of how many goblin characters you can get for that?

I think with most armies you'll be still left with the choice if you go heavy characters, you won't have much left to support them...

...and remember with the slot system currently in place, it is completely possible to go over 50% of your points in characters... especially for vamps/daemons... (a vamp lord and three vamps can easily cost over 1,000 points even without using special characters)

[thesanityassassin]

Man...you can take a LOT of empire captains with lances on barded horses though. A full unit of "true" inner circle knights haha.

[Jack Shrapnel]

There's so much more added... figured it was more efficient use of space to just post a link:

www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253845

The warmachines section and killing blow is pretty interesting....

[Admiral Agrippa]

Got this in a newsletter email this morning. Thought I'd share with you guys:

WARHAMMER FANTASY - 8TH EDITION
It's here folks! Warhammer Fantasy 8th edition is up for pre-order now here. At a whopping 528 pages full of new rules, art and background, and with rumours of it being one of the most intense rules overhauls in years, it's no surprise that 8th edition has garnered a lot of attention amongst gamers (RRP £45.00, Wayland retail at a bargain £38.50). Whilst we'd like to give you some hard facts about the new edition, truth is, no one knows for sure until its in their hands. However, a lot of the rumours point towards a streamlining of the movement system, an overhaul of the magic system, archers firing in two ranks, as well as boosts for fear and terror causing units/monsters.

As ever with a new edition we get a starter box and this one is shaping up to be fantastic. Whilst we know for certain that the forces will be High Elves and Skaven, there are rumours of new plastic silver helms and spearmen, some kind of plastic weapon team for the skaven, and most interestingly of all: a plastic griffon! The set is available to pre-order here with a full list of contents available shortly – rest assured folks you'll know when we know.