Reminiscing about old White Dwarf magazines

[Calibanite Knight Angel]

Hey everyone, I've been reminiscing about the White Dwarf magazines I read when I first started in the hobby in the late 2000s. This was a mix of new issues coming out at the time, as well as back issues that I was lucky enough to secure. I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts on old White Dwarf magazines, as that might inspire me to read or re-read those issues!

 

My first exposure to Space Marines in a strong way was a pair of back issues. One was the 2007 (?) issue containing the first half of the 4th edition Blood Angels codex. I absolutely loved this, and it felt like I was diving into a whole new world. It made me want to learn more about Space Marines, and seeing the list of Space Marines plastic kits available blew my mind - I wanted them all! I then followed this up by reading the early 2000s issue (maybe 2001 or 2002? if anyone knows the issue number, I would be very grateful) where there is a 3rd Edition Battle Report of Salamanders vs Tau in a cityfight battle. I believe it may have been titled "Fighting Fire With Fire", and seeing the Salamanders made me know with certainty that they would be my 40k army (I ended up only ever painting one model). I think there may also have been an article where someone scratch build a Warlord Titan, which is pretty cool. If I figure out which issue this is, maybe I should attempt that too....

 

One of the first White Dwarfs I bought upon release was the 2009 issue from the month Planetstrike came out. There was an article in there about Catachans fighting Orks in a guerrilla war, with all this cool terrain and plenty of fun characters (I think the Catachan CO was named "Captain Black", which always made me thinking of the Captain Scarlet character lol). But that really opened my eyes to how much flavour 40k could have - there was the Ork rocket that kept showing up around that time, and the Catachan vehicle (a Chimera maybe?) had been modified by the Catachans to look like it had had Ork modifications - so as to camouflage the vehicle. Super cool.

 

The next one is the vague impression of an article that I am really hoping someone can help me with. May have been mid 2000s perhaps? I feel like the article was about the Lost & The Damned, and featured a Chaos Terminator Lord (metal model, perhaps had lightning claws? I feel like it was painted to be Nurgle-themed).

 

Anyway, that's my ramblings. I'd love to hear the White Dwarf articles everyone else is reminiscing about!

[phandaal]

A Tale of Four Gamers, co-starring Paul "Fat Bloke" Sawyer himself, will always be one of the greatest.

 

Watching them collect and convert on a budget, and add their painted units to their growing armies every month, was inspiring to me as a youngster and it is still the way I build my armies to this day.

[Firedrake Cordova]

My first WD was 155 (that's November 1992 - not the rebooted numbering series!) ... it included a card section with plans for an Empire house.

 

I really liked the old WDs, with the hobby section - how to build Orc villages out of Pringles tubes and card, kind of things. The old battle reports and Tale of Four Gamers were great, too (e.g. the Death of Lord Varlak battle report in WD187 where they use all the Studio's tanks, or War Across the Tank Factory as part of the Third War for Armageddon in WD 247/8).

 

Whilst the old 'Eavy Metal articles were great and I have a great fondness for them (and the old "How to Paint" books of the Mike McVey era), the current painting articles (Brush Strokes, I think) with the 'Eavy Metal painters are really quite good.

Edited Saturday at 03:01 PM by Firedrake Cordova

[calgar101]

White Dwarf 273, I was 9 at the time and had no real clue about the hobby. Last day of term in my school, a few class mates brought in Warhammer, I don't think they played a proper game mind. I went away wanting my own, I thought at first Orks were Hawks haha.

 

Quickly learned off a local club, 50m from my house and my local toy shop stocked a large range. The rest is history. 

 

Those White Dwarves were amazing, I was disappointed it was one a month and read them cover to cover all the time, I still have them and occasionally go back.

I even started go buy second copies off ebay as mine are in a very very well read state!

[TheMawr]

6 minutes ago, Firedrake Cordova said:

My first WD was 155 (that's November 1992 - not the rebooted numbering series!) ... it included a card section with plans for an Empire house.

 

I really liked the old WDs, with the hobby section - how to build Orc villages out of Pringles tubes and card, kind of things. The old battle reports and Tale of Four Gamers were great, too (e.g. the Death of Lord Varlak battle report in WD187 where they use all the Studio's tanks, or War Across the Tank Factory as part of the Third War for Armageddon in WD 247/8).

 

Whilst the old 'Eavy Metal articles were great and I have a great fondness for them (and the old "How to Paint" books of the Mike McVey era), the current painting articles (Brush Strokes, I think) with the 'Eavy Metal painters are really quite good.

 

Had that one too.. it must have been close to my first if not my first one as well XD but my WD purchases ( and eventual 2 or 3 year subscription) weren't regular yet.

Fondest memory must have been the McVey exodite diorama a bit later ( 95 or 96 ?) As it triggered a "well, I might just as well make it myself" attitude from hence forward.

 

[Commander Dawnstar]

49 minutes ago, calgar101 said:

White Dwarf 273, I was 9 at the time and had no real clue about the hobby. Last day of term in my school, a few class mates brought in Warhammer, I don't think they played a proper game mind. I went away wanting my own, I thought at first Orks were Hawks haha.

 

Quickly learned off a local club, 50m from my house and my local toy shop stocked a large range. The rest is history. 

 

Those White Dwarves were amazing, I was disappointed it was one a month and read them cover to cover all the time, I still have them and occasionally go back.

I even started go buy second copies off ebay as mine are in a very very well read state!

 

Funnily enough that's my first issue too. I have really fond memories of the ones from that time where they were doing the build for the Storm of Chaos over in Fantasy and giving a lot of shine to the followers of each of the Chaos Gods.

 

I still think about the 40k batrep in that one now and then. The Emperor's Champion staggers out of a destroyed Land Raider Crusader (on Turn One!) and one-shots a Battlewagon in retaliation. Great stuff.

Edited Saturday at 03:56 PM by Commander Dawnstar

[calgar101]

@Commander Dawnstar I can still picture the board in my hea, how it was using half dead units in desperation and everything. At the time I barely understood the rules but I just kept thinking this is soo cool!

[Brother Anderson]

I read that planetstrike one when I was in hospital for a broken arm, must have read it cover to cover a dozen times!

[ZeroWolf]

My first purchased WD was about 250ish it was the time where City Fight first dropped, the very isdue before the T'au burst on the scene. It was certainly a time, a week or so  earlier I'd purchased the 3rd edition nid codex on a whim.

 

My first read WD however, was one of my older brother's and I think it was 145 because I distinctively remember Space Crusade and Heroquest being advertised on the front. It also had the Rogue Trader Tyranid army list in it which planted the seeds of my future army (the Alien movies also helped, as did Space Hulk)

[gideon stargreave]

5 hours ago, TheMawr said:

 

Fondest memory must have been the McVey exodite diorama a bit later ( 95 or 96 ?) As it triggered a "well, I might just as well make it myself" attitude from hence forward.

 

Utterly amazing conversion.

 

my first issue was issue 200. I’ve still got it somewhere.

 

as mentioned by another commenter the tale of 4 gamers was magnificent, as was Stillmania (though I didn’t like his painting style), and the fact that staffers used their own armies for battle reports was a wonderful thing. Speaking of which the army showcases were beautiful 

[Sothan]

WD140 was my first ever issue, remember buying it from WH Smiths (may they rest in peace), that cover of Tyranids Vs Scouts and inside was a massive hit of full on articles ! You had a guide on making a barn - straight to the Corn Flakes box for that (or should that be Khorne flakes.....)

 

There was a huge Golden Demon section which blew the mind of 11 year old me and my attempts at slathering enamel on my space crusade minis !

 

I was hooked from that issue, then 141 came out with that battle report !

[Doghouse]

I can't remember the exact WD I started reading WD because I'm old (think I was about 11) but my most favourite is WD93 from September 1987. I had dabbled in Warhammer buying random lead minis up till that point but 40k blew my mind utterly with the setting and the plastic RTB01 marines.

 

The Gobbedigook cross over was one of my all time favourite comic stories from that time as well.

[Lexington]

WD222’s “Last Stand at Glazer’s Creek” is still pretty fondly remembered almost thirty (!) years on. Four linked missions of the newly-created Praetorian Guard regiment defending a small farm from the ravages of Orks in a narrative that was more than just a slight nod to the old war movie, Zulu. The late and lamented Paul Sawyer commanded the Guard, while Adrian Wood brought his own Ork army mostly comprised of Gorkamorka models - which, unbeknownst to us readers, was a preview of the radical re-design that the greenskins would undergo in 3rd Edition 40K just a few months later.

 

Brilliant models and terrain, a great little story driving the games and writing that showed real personality. Might still be the best battle report ever put to WD’s pages.

Edited Sunday at 01:17 PM by Lexington

[Brother Anderson]

I know the new plastic terrain kits are more detailed but god damn that old custom terrain was so characterful. 

Edited Sunday at 04:23 PM by Brother Anderson

[Grotsmasha]

My first was the Sisters of Battle 212, but it was 213 and the Dark Angels Priscina Campaign that sealed my fate. I think it's great that the cardboard pullouts are making a come back. 

[Craig]

Pretty sure my first was 216

https://www.scribd.com/document/950061400/White-Dwarf-Magazine-Issue-216-Dec-1997-UK.

I did get random previous issues from car boot sales but I distinctly remember buying this issue from the newsagent.

Now, the next issue came with a free necron mini, which I got. However there was also a free Calidus assassin I got with an issue not long after. The internet seems to have no knowledge of this. Did GW stick excess stock on to random issues sent only to select retailers or does anyone else remember this free mini?

Edited Sunday at 04:01 PM by Craig

[Evil Eye]

Whilst I read it many years after its initial release (in 2009), and it's not the oldest WD I've read, my introductory issue was actually 300. Lots of really good stuff there; part of the Bugman's Lament campaign, a very cool 40K battle report, Dok Butcha's Konvershun Klinik, etc. Good stuff!