Playing WH40k Second Edition

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

33 minutes ago, Jolemai said:

For discussion of previous editions on the B&C, I'd recommend the Oldhammer Club 

Where is that group located within the forum? Knowing my luck it’ll be somewhere really obvious and I will have obliviously overlooked it a million times.

[Firedrake Cordova]

@FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants: there's a menu strip under the site banner, which has a "clubs" item in it, or it appears in the forum list under "++ SITE FEATURES ++" (between Community and The Forge) - then just pick Oldhammer 40K

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

Just now, Firedrake Cordova said:

@FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants: there's a menu strip under the site banner, which has a "clubs" item in it, or it appears in the forum list under "++ SITE FEATURES ++" (between Community and The Forge) - then just pick Oldhammer 40K

Thank you. I’ll be sure to check out the club.

[Pacific81]

The 2nd edition FB group has absolutely rocketed with numbers of new members over the past year or two, and with posts like this on B&C (and other forums I have noticed) I think it is as popular now as it ever has been since it was the official version!

 

The great thing is the variety in the community; you have everything from rebuilds of original minis with goblin green base rims, through to use of new mini ranges or 3rd party/printed, and everything in-between.

 

I see Battle Bible has been mentioned a few times - get hold of a copy (PM me if you'd like one and don't want to join the FB group for access to the files section) is the cheapest and simplest way to play.

 

It's a very different game to modern 40k (really, 3rd edition and everything that came after transformed what was a squad level to a platoon level game, where more abstraction was needed along with the increased model count) - but as you can play with a couple of squads, a vehicle and a character, and still have a fun game with meaningful tactical decisions, it's very easy to dip your toe in the water. So I would say definitely go for it

Edited February 14 by Pacific81

[Master Ciaphas]

I got into W40k 2nd edition last year. I have not had that much fun since I played 3rd, 5th and 7th ed W40k. And tracking down the OG metal & plastic minis is a sport in itself (and allows one to keep pace with the pile of opportunity!)

[Helbrechts_Sword_Servitor]

I just wanna say that you guys are great. So many important resources and tips!

 

I'm glad to know that the Oldhammer is still popular.

 

I've got so much to read and learn now!

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

On 2/13/2025 at 2:54 AM, DemonGSides said:

Might be easier anywhere else than Battle scribe, the owner of that has gone AWOL again and is a bit of a loser.

 

New Recruit has a 2nd ed branch tho, and I find New Recruit to be a lot more usable than Battlescribe, though they do look and work similarly. Also saves lists across devices so you can noodle on the PC and then also noodle on the toilet on your phone. The future is here!

I just checked out New Recruit. I’ve made an account and I’ve also managed to transfer my 500 and 1500, 2nd ed Blood Angel and Dark Angel lists from Battlscribe. I’ve made a starting list at 500 points with a tactical squad in both and jump captain and interrogator chaplain respectively and the expanded on both adding some bespoke units for both armies aswell as a Techmarine and a some vehicles in both. I must say it’s good to be able to transfer over my BattleScribe list to New Recruit, and once I’ve figured out fully how New Recruit works I’ll be making all my army lists using it. I’m also about to go and right an Old World High Elf list, but I won’t talk anymore about that as it doesn’t fall within the purview of Bolter and Chainsword.

Edited February 20 by FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants

[Magos Takatus]

38 minutes ago, FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants said:

I just checked out New Recruit. I’ve made an account and I’ve also managed to transfer my 500 and 1500, 2nd ed Blood Angel and Dark Angel lists from Battlscribe. I’ve made a starting list at 500 points with a tactical squad in both and jump captain and interrogator chaplain respectively and the expanded on both adding some bespoke units for both armies aswell as a Techmarine and a some vehicles in both. I must say it’s good to be able to transfer over my BattleScribe list to New Recruit, and once I’ve figured out fully how New Recruit works I’ll be making all my army lists using it. I’m also about to go and right an Old World High Elf list, but I won’t talk anymore about that as it doesn’t fall within the purview of Bolter and Chainsword.

It sounds weird hearing about a Blood Angel army that's not all about assault squads and Sanguinary Guard. It reminds me of my first years in the hobby with my Blood Angels. Back when Blood Angels were a space marine chapter, and not an oversized bodyguard unit. Back when all of this was fields.... *sniff* 

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

7 minutes ago, Magos Takatus said:

It sounds weird hearing about a Blood Angel army that's not all about assault squads and Sanguinary Guard. It reminds me of my first years in the hobby with my Blood Angels. Back when Blood Angels were a space marine chapter, and not an oversized bodyguard unit. Back when all of this was fields.... *sniff* 

I’ve got a Veteran Assault Squad in my 1500 list. A regular Space Marine Assault Squad was formidable 2nd, the Blood Angels Vetarn Assault Squad was even more so. They have a WS of 5 which is really good with the way Combat resolution works in 2nd edition.

[Magos Takatus]

Ooh, Nice. I never had an assault squad. My on-foot Death company were okay... but My opponent always seemed to have a blender like Khârn the Betrayer or a Hive Tyrant so they never really got to shine. 

 

This is getting me pretty misty-eyed. Sadly I can't really bring Admech back through time. I would be able to bring back some Corpuscari and an Enginseer... and that's about it. 

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

33 minutes ago, Magos Takatus said:

Ooh, Nice. I never had an assault squad. My on-foot Death company were okay... but My opponent always seemed to have a blender like Khârn the Betrayer or a Hive Tyrant so they never really got to shine. 

 

This is getting me pretty misty-eyed. Sadly I can't really bring Admech back through time. I would be able to bring back some Corpuscari and an Enginseer... and that's about it. 

I think Electro-priests were also in the Imperial agents army list of the black and white Codex Imprialis that had all the army lists in it that came the the main 40k 2nd ed boxed set. Most of the lists were superseded by codex books that came out throughout the edition, but Imperial Agents and Squats never got a proper codex release. That’s one of the things I don’t like about the edition, the fact that some cool armyies that existed in later editions were not yet a thing is kind of a bummer, like Tau Dark Eldar or Admech. However, the edition was really cool and I had a lot of fun and plan to hopefully again.

Edited February 20 by FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants

[Magos Takatus]

3 hours ago, FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants said:

I think Electro-priests were also in the Imperial agents army list of the black and white Codex Imprialis that had all the army lists in it that came the the main 40k 2nd ed boxed set. Most of the lists were superseded by codex books that came out throughout the edition, but Imperial Agents and Squats never got a proper codex release. That’s one of the things I don’t like about the edition, the fact that some cool armyies that existed in later editions were not yet a thing is kind of a bummer, like Tau Dark Eldar or Admech. However, the edition was really cool and I had a lot of fun and plan to hopefully again.

 

That's what I meant. Codex Imperialis had an entry for "Electro Priests" but they hadn't yet been paired into different types. However I flubbed an just realised that they never had a ranged attack so the Fulgurites would be a better fit. On closer inspection, it looks like a Dominus could be fielded as a Magos. With a Laspistol, Power Axe and Power armour it's not that different from a Dominus, providing you represent the Volkite Blaster/Eradication Ray with a fancy wargear card like a Graviton gun? Once you start looking for Skitarii or vehicles it's off into the weeds with counts-as though. 

[ZeroWolf]

Correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't there been various fan projects over the years that tried to bring the newer stuff into 2nd Edition?

[crimsondave]

16 minutes ago, ZeroWolf said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't there been various fan projects over the years that tried to bring the newer stuff into 2nd Edition?

Idk, but if there’s any good ones I’d love to find them.

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

18 hours ago, crimsondave said:

Idk, but if there’s any good ones I’d love to find them.

I’d be keen to have a look at some too if anyone knows of any good ones.

[Gillyfish]

I played second edition a lot whilst I was at school (my first 40k games were at the tail end of first edition and my original collection was a mix of Space Crusade and RTB01 models). Second was definitely open to abuse and in that age bracket we definitely abused it (one friend memorably had jump pack equipped Ragnar Blackmane and Njal Stormcaller, as they weren't already potent enough...). 2nd worked really well if you agreed to tone down some of the excesses (I can have storm shield, terminator armour and a conversion field for a 3+ save on 2 dice, and two 4+ unmodifiable saves? Amazing! But, actually, really not fun to play against.) and at smaller scale - I actually think it was at its best in Necromunda. Some of the starter set missions were amazing and you actually tended to use the grenades your models had at that scale, which you tended to ignore when you tried to have a 3000 to 5000 point game as it just got unwieldy.

 

The game mechanics were reasonably solid (although close combat did have its issues) and it was very crunchy at times, but marines did probably feel the closest that they have to their fictional portrayal outside of the unofficial movie marine rules.

 

I do still have all my second ed stuff, which perhaps says something.

[Gorgoff]

For me 2ed was amd wtill os the best Edition GW ever made. It has it's problems of course but all in all it is the game I enjoy the most.

Finding people to play is hard but when we do play it it is always such a blast.

If you need any rules just shoot me a PM. All of them are available as PDF and I strongly recommend to use the originals plus the FAQ GW made. 

There also is a dedicated Discord server I can recommend. 

https://discord.gg/nYrnEGKp

 

Personally I would stay away from the battle bible. Whoever made it back years ago had good intentions and they still work on it but it is full of mistakes and odd houserules just thrown in without marking them out as such. 

As ozher mentioned before the racebook group is great as well if you have Facebook. It even has Andy Chambers in there who sometimes chime in and write stuff. :)

 

Edit: Where do I find the New Recruit data? I se battle scribe at the moment but want to change.

 

And since we talk BA now I am currently painting my army for it. 

I already played with it last year and try to squeeze in another game next month. 

2000 points and around 30 models is so much easier to finish. That's another aspect of the game I really like. It is so cheap to build an army because the models all hat much higher points costs.

Like this combat patrol the talked about in white dwarf back in the day

I do know that they make 2ed events in the UK by the way. 

Edited Sunday at 05:50 AM by Gorgoff

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

57 minutes ago, Gorgoff said:

 

 

Edit: Where do I find the New Recruit data? I se battle scribe at the moment but want to change.

 

https://www.newrecruit.eu

 

New Recruit appears to work differently to Battle scribe as far as t can tell. It's an online website. Click on the 'CLICK HERE TO TRY IT NOW' link on the page, then there will be alist of game systems to choose from at the top of the page. All the data is already there 

Edited Sunday at 06:39 AM by FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants

[ZeroWolf]

3 hours ago, FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants said:

 

https://www.newrecruit.eu

 

New Recruit appears to work differently to Battle scribe as far as t can tell. It's an online website. Click on the 'CLICK HERE TO TRY IT NOW' link on the page, then there will be alist of game systems to choose from at the top of the page. All the data is already there 

It does have an app  I tried it out after seeing it mentioned here and I'm liking it so far.

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

Don´t forget to craft Alien Cacti for your 2nd 40K board. It´s not an option but a requirement.

 

In addition 2nd 40K Chaos Codex allowed you to play a WHFB Chaos army in 40K. Check your calendar because this is not an April Fools jest. I am looking forward to do such a battle report in 2025.

[TheArtilleryman]

8 hours ago, ZeroWolf said:

It does have an app  I tried it out after seeing it mentioned here and I'm liking it so far.

I couldn’t find an app… I clicked on the link that said “app” on their site but it just went to another web page. Nothing on the App Store either.

[DemonGSides]

On 2/23/2025 at 1:06 PM, TheArtilleryman said:

I couldn’t find an app… I clicked on the link that said “app” on their site but it just went to another web page. Nothing on the App Store either.

 

It side loaded an app that runs  dedicated NewRecruit webpage locally for me on my android.

Edited Monday at 08:19 PM by DemonGSides

[Gorgoff]

Where can I write the ones responsible for the data? It dribes me nuts thst they don't have the option for lighning Claws for dreadnoughts. 

They released two versions of the Angel of Death Codex and in the newer one dreadnoughts had this options which obviously is WAY better than a power Fist. 

[ZeroWolf]

On 2/23/2025 at 6:06 PM, TheArtilleryman said:

I couldn’t find an app… I clicked on the link that said “app” on their site but it just went to another web page. Nothing on the App Store either.

Odd, I typed new recruit in the Google play store and it came right up.

[TheArtilleryman]

23 minutes ago, ZeroWolf said:

Odd, I typed new recruit in the Google play store and it came right up.

I’m on iOS so maybe that’s the issue