Warhammer 40,000 3rd Edition, any 'gotchas' to be aware of?

[TheTrans]

Thanks for all the replies gang, is fantastic getting some perspective from peeps playing it back then.

Smashed out a few games with some mates yesterday (2x 750 point and 1x 1500 point a side 4 player) we just used the basic rulebook just to get our head around basic stuff and try and unlearn a lot of post-3rd stuff haha. 

But bloody hell was it fun! Transports are actually really needed given the lack of run, and movement being generally slow! It felt weird vehicles being kind of more resilient based on glaces don't knock of 'wounds' like 6e onwards, and damn...jamming a moving vehicle in the way of an assault unit... they have a hard time pushing through that! 

 

8 hours ago, Petitioner's City said:

@TheTrans - can I ask when in 3rd your event is taking its lead from? Is it the game at the end of the edition (2004), or a point during it?

 

Are you allowing fun things like Chapter Approved lists and options (e.g. Andy Hoare's Codex Kroot, the feral orks list, etc.; vehicle design rules, etc), Forge World's additions from during the edition, Citadel Journal additional lists (gsc, for example), and so on? 

 

To be honest all of this was what entranced me as a young 'un during third, and I'd hope it's all there for you too :) 

Hey mate,

 

Honestly, the event won't have any podiums, and awards will only be fluff/hobby/theme based, so we'll open slather it to all the extra cool :cuss: that much like 6th WHFB, gave 3E 40k so much cool charm and appeal, all the extra stuff is amazing. We'll even allow Vehicle Design Rules if modeled well and not too off the wall! 

 

So yes, Chapter Approved, Seeding Swarms, Kroot Mercs, Feral Orks... BRING. IT. ON!

Would like some thoughts from people also, would allowing the early 4th ed imperial armours be ok, given that most of them are relying on the 3rd ed codexs? Like Krieg from Siege of Vraks literally just use all the special skills rules form the 3.5 codex, and as far as I can tell, the Tau from Taros use all the same gear as the 3rd ed tau codex etc. 

Cheers,

Nick

[Rain]

Definitely allow FW if it’s for fun anyway. Also, I highly recommend the 3.5 ed CSM book (the best codex GW has ever done) as well as the 4th(?) ed Tyranid book which allowed you to customize “mutable” bugs, and the Marine book with chapter traits. Or you could use the original 3rd ed Marine codex, but with IA chapter rules that were full of characterful and kooky rules like letting Iron Hands take Terminators as unit sergeants.

 

If people go into it with the right mindset, it should be a blast.

[alfred_the_great]

Related - was the citadel journal ever collated and published as a singular collection of rules?

[Xenith]

3rd ed doesn't have any real 'gotcha!''s in the way the game does since stratagems became a thing, it was a lot more...pure? The only thing to be wary of is fewer army building restrictions can mean you get skew armies at low points - I recall being able to get 3 wraithlords and an avatar into a 500pt list, 3 of the toughest things in the game. 

 

Dark Eldar can dominate as I recall they could turboboost 24" and still charge, so they can wipe a unit per turn.