Requiescat in Pace – An Argument for Playing “Dead” Games

I feel like that for some players starting out in 40k, or Age of Sigmar, is only the first step on a bizarre road that leads them down a rabbit hole of games. Everything starts out normally, (well as normal as us gamers are) with your standard tabletop options, maybe branching out into Kill Team, Horus Heresy or some other offshoot depending on local tastes.

But for those few it’s never enough, there is always the siren call of some other system that scratches a very particular itch. Maybe this itch is a larger scale of conflict, maybe it’s boats. The first warning sign is usually the purchase of a 3D printer as it removes much of the financial rails disincentivizing purchasing too many armies inevitably though the mounds of resin and plastic rise for these poor souls who find one or two other locals with their shared interests. While I am not yet quite at this point, I will confess I am sliding towards it, partially out of nostalgia, partly because I just love the lore of the Warhammer Old World and Total War Warhammer.

In the past few months I have been exploring various iterations of the old Warhammer Fantasy Battle game. It has been interesting to play through a few games of 6th, 7th, 8th and the Warhammer Armies Project (a fan-made variation). Furthermore I am also looking into starting a Warmaster army as I have found a few people to teach me. All though this process I have been thinking about some of the benefits an drawbacks of this approach. While these games skew very much in the GW realm I think there is a lot that can be gained from playing tabletop systems that are no longer supported.

1. Ease of Model Acquisitions: One thing that is nice about playing these games is that typically people will be less of a stickler about the models you use. For some, since the models have long ceased being sold you have to get more creative with your options which can make it cheaper to get started. Looking into starting Warmaster I was surprised at how affordable it could be ($60 would get me the files to print a whole army with a standard size force costing less for pre-printed options).

2. Solving Rules Disputes: Since many of these rule sets have existed for a while the weak points of each army, or specific gaps in rules interactions have typically been mapped and discussed. It’s easy to identify areas of army design that are broken before the game begins and iron them out with your opponent. While this requires you to have a decent relationship with said opponent it helps create a more positive experience as you can establish more ground rules ahead of the match.

3. Can be a Breath of Fresh Air: While this isn’t exclusive to these types of games older games, even with clunky rule sets, can have a charm and depth to them. As 40k has changed over the years it has simplified in some areas but these cuts have a cost that you don’t always realize until you play the older games or editions. I am not going to argue that blast templates need to come back but there were times when it was very cinematic as you saw holes get blown open in enemy formations. Other things like units going to ground to avoid fire or tank facings gave a sense of realism (I dare to use that word) that the current game kinda lacks. In the same way I have found that WHFB and Warmaster capture a scale of combat that is often missing in Age of Sigmar. Seeing bricks of infantry move up the field or contest a massive battlefield is something you don’t see as much. Finally these games often can help you improve your abilities in current games too. In WHFB movement is king and will teach you how to plan out your turns, likewise other games can help you think about priorities or list building in novel ways.

So this was basically a long argument for someone to play Warmaster with me (though my army hasn’t finished printing yet). There are many downsides such as a smaller player pool (thought hey are often more dedicated and easier to corral for a campaign). I would encourage you to look at some options that interest you and reach out. You never know who might want to jump in. Are there any of these “dead” games you love to play? Or want to see brought back? Let me know in the comments!

And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!