Forgeworld Questions

[knas ser]

Okay. I'm sure everyone knows this except me, but I've come back to the game after a long absence (yet to play) and what is the deal with Forgeworld. As far as I can make out, they are owned by Games Workshop. Why are they a separate company? Or if they're the same company, then why are they a separate brand? What's the history / sense in this?

And related - are Forgeworld rules and minis now accepted as standard? I understood that at one point they were not and that they were often considered non-official. But now they are accepted and if two random strangers meet for a game of WH40K, you can bring along your Forgeworld stuff and that it's all official? Is that right? Same for tournaments, I presume?

I'm basically just confused. Also, all of this stuff seems to predate Sixth Edition, so is it now out of date?

Last time I played Necrons hadn't been released and they'd just introduced those more flexible squads at lower price points. (I think it was 3rd edition). I have returned to Confusion!

[Wolfshade]

Forge World is owned by Games Workshop PLC. They are their own separate company and legal entity. While they do produce complimentary items for the main Games Workshop range, they are also responsible for their own more "specialist" lines, such as the special units in the Imperial Armour series or Horus Heresey. They are also responsible for the Warhammer Historicals.

The reason they are a seperate unit is so that they can develop in the direction that they want to without needing to be directed by what the main GW studio is doing. Consequently, they are often able to produce things which are quite unlike anything else.

Forge World when it was set up was quite a risky development, they produced small volume high cost units and it was unclear if there was a market for them or not. This way any loses that Forge World incurred would be limited to this separate entity rather than impacting on GW as a whole.

In essence they are like Games Workshop Advanced (without the patronising overtones).

Forge World miniatures are now allowed if the rules are "40k Approved" otherwise no, or not without your opponents permission. Tournaments are all dependent on the organisers local rules so you might want to check with them first.

A lot of the forge world rules are pre-sixt but they have been introducing faqs to bring them up to date.

Hope this helps.

[knas ser]

Forge World is owned by Games Workshop PLC. They are their own separate company and legal entity. While they do produce complimentary items for the main Games Workshop range, they are also responsible for their own more "specialist" lines, such as the special units in the Imperial Armour series or Horus Heresey. They are also responsible for the Warhammer Historicals.

The reason they are a seperate unit is so that they can develop in the direction that they want to without needing to be directed by what the main GW studio is doing. Consequently, they are often able to produce things which are quite unlike anything else.

Forge World when it was set up was quite a risky development, they produced small volume high cost units and it was unclear if there was a market for them or not. This way any loses that Forge World incurred would be limited to this separate entity rather than impacting on GW as a whole.

In essence they are like Games Workshop Advanced (without the patronising overtones).

Forge World miniatures are now allowed if the rules are "40k Approved" otherwise no, or not without your opponents permission. Tournaments are all dependent on the organisers local rules so you might want to check with them first.

A lot of the forge world rules are pre-sixt but they have been introducing faqs to bring them up to date.

Hope this helps.

It does help. Thank you. So Forge World were kind of a... not sure of a metaphor. A kind of exploratory offshoot. Like infiltrating a unit of Scouts near a distant objective - might prove useful, but you don't commit your army to supporting them. They're an affordable side-bet. Well in that case I have to say it's paid off in terms of quality. I don't know what their sales are like but their miniatures look fantastic.

Okay so that explains the odd set-up. Regarding the official status / standard approach... I've never heard the term "40K Approved" before. That's a known phrase you'd see on a Tournament notice or similar? Also, okay - you need your opponent's agreement to include the Forgeworld stuff and similarly with tournaments or local leagues or whatever, it needs to be said up front it will be included. That helps a lot, but what is the general state of this. Is it normal that opponents do agree to the Forgeworld stuff / local leagues allow it. Or is it normally not allowed? Maybe it's too varied to draw a pattern but I'm not familiar with all this so I'm trying to get a feel for the general acceptance level.

I like a lot of the Forgeworld minis and I'm just starting to round out my old army with some of the new minis, so I'm interested to know if buying the Apocalypse / Imperial Armour books and any of the minis would be usable or if it would be a frustrating misuse of money.

And I guess finally, I know it's a can of worms question, but are the Forgeworld rules well-balanced? Or do they have a high brokenness factor? I've been pretty impressed with the balance of the 6th edition in the codices, you see. I don't want to be accused of fromage if I say bought a super-heavy tank and it was all screwy and broken in terms of points / power. What's the general impression here?

Sorry for the Large Template Barrage of questions. But thanks. :)

[Wolfshade]

It is a little stamp they put on their pdfs.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M7Jkui9REj0/TtUXMP4a4hI/AAAAAAAABDQ/reSAb3HOQ5Q/s640/forgeworld-40k-logo.jpg

So, any thing that has that or has a stamp on the rules saying that they are experimental like on this one (http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF/p/Predator_infernus.pdf) are allowed. A lot of the stuff is shoulder pads or some such which just looks cool so you can use them anyway.

Forgeworld stuff looks great and can add a lovely centre peice or a way to spruce up your army and make them stand out. A general rule of thumb is that if they are in the IA book then they are ok, though obviously it depends.

The super-heavy stuff is more for apocalypse so that isn't too worrying. Their rules aren't too bad especially those which are 40k sanctioned or at least I don't think so.

I really like the forge world stuff, I have Hector Rex and retinue, I am thinking of adding some contemptor dreads as well.

[deinol]

And I guess finally, I know it's a can of worms question, but are the Forgeworld rules well-balanced? Or do they have a high brokenness factor? I've been pretty impressed with the balance of the 6th edition in the codices, you see. I don't want to be accused of fromage if I say bought a super-heavy tank and it was all screwy and broken in terms of points / power. What's the general impression here?

It should be noted that there isn't a super-heavy slot in the normal force org, so those really only come out for apocalypse. And if you are playing Apocalypse, why wouldn't you allow Forgeworld?

As for standard 40k games, it probably depends a lot on your specific area. Usually, its a good idea to ask ahead of time if possible whether your opponent is cool with Forgeworld. For random pickup games at a game store, I'd have two lists prepared, one with, one without.

When it comes to tournaments, its all up to the tourney organizer these days.

[knas ser]

It is a little stamp they put on their pdfs.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M7Jkui9REj0/TtUXMP4a4hI/AAAAAAAABDQ/reSAb3HOQ5Q/s640/forgeworld-40k-logo.jpg

So, any thing that has that or has a stamp on the rules saying that they are experimental like on this one (http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF/p/Predator_infernus.pdf) are allowed. A lot of the stuff is shoulder pads or some such which just looks cool so you can use them anyway.

Forgeworld stuff looks great and can add a lovely centre peice or a way to spruce up your army and make them stand out. A general rule of thumb is that if they are in the IA book then they are ok, though obviously it depends.

The super-heavy stuff is more for apocalypse so that isn't too worrying. Their rules aren't too bad especially those which are 40k sanctioned or at least I don't think so.

I really like the forge world stuff, I have Hector Rex and retinue, I am thinking of adding some contemptor dreads as well.

Ah, I had misunderstood. When you said if it had "40K Approved" on it it was okay to use, I thought you meant the tournament would have that on it to show all Forgeworld was welcome. But you meant individual Forgeworld pieces would have the stamp. Got it.

Thanks a lot.

[knas ser]

It should be noted that there isn't a super-heavy slot in the normal force org, so those really only come out for apocalypse. And if you are playing Apocalypse, why wouldn't you allow Forgeworld?

As for standard 40k games, it probably depends a lot on your specific area. Usually, its a good idea to ask ahead of time if possible whether your opponent is cool with Forgeworld. For random pickup games at a game store, I'd have two lists prepared, one with, one without.

When it comes to tournaments, its all up to the tourney organizer these days.

Bother. I hadn't realized that super-heavies were there own FoC slot. I figured they'd be Heavy Support slots. So I could only use an Eldar Scorpian or Ork Battlefortress in an Apocalypse game. That's a shame. :(

Oh well, thanks for all the information.

[Tyrendian]

Bother. I hadn't realized that super-heavies were there own FoC slot. I figured they'd be Heavy Support slots. So I could only use an Eldar Scorpian or Ork Battlefortress in an Apocalypse game. That's a shame. :(

Oh well, thanks for all the information.

well, in Horus Heresy era games (another confusion introduced by ForgeWorld... basically intended to be something in between regular 40k and Apocalypse in scale) there is a single "Lords of Battle" (or what is that called again...) slot for each army, which accomodates a SuperHeavy and/or Primarch into a game.... personally I wouldn't mind if you wanted to bring a mid-sized Super Heavy (say Baneblade or Scorpion) to a big standard 40k game - but then again why not just play Apoc if the game is big enough to warrant a Super Heavy...
Oh and GW does appear to move to bigger models (see Riptide and Wraithknight - the latter model is almost Titan-sized...)

[Wolfshade]

Ah, I had misunderstood. When you said if it had "40K Approved" on it it was okay to use, I thought you meant the tournament would have that on it to show all Forgeworld was welcome. But you meant individual Forgeworld pieces would have the stamp. Got it.

Thanks a lot.

Yeah sorry.

Over and above everything else, if you find yourself a group of cool people to play with then they would be more than happy to include FW stuff.
A lot of the stuff is just fancy re-sculpts which no one should have a problem with anyway.

[Arkhan Land]

The people in each company are also each probably better suited to each field, GW getting to focus on design/production and having a more mechanized factory to produce minis on greater scale with a focus on packaging materials and promotion.

By comparison FW works on design projects of its own and from GW to produce artist sculpted pieces that are then duplicated by artisans through a process that was developed about 7000 years ago, and they send you their products in plastic bags with stickers

[knas ser]

The people in each company are also each probably better suited to each field, GW getting to focus on design/production and having a more mechanized factory to produce minis on greater scale with a focus on packaging materials and promotion.

By comparison FW works on design projects of its own and from GW to produce artist sculpted pieces that are then duplicated by artisans through a process that was developed about 7000 years ago, and they send you their products in plastic bags with stickers

That sounds cool. The Forgeworld stuff is amazing. I'll have to get some at some point. I just hope that I can also use them in a game. :)

[Cadian122]

I have a ton of Forgeworld models. I find that I let my opponent know that I'm using FW in my army (Usually my DKK or Contemptor Dreadnoughts for my SM armies), and if my opponent doesn't want to play the army, then I'll find another opponent. I find that where I play people don't have an issue, and I don't go to the local clubs, and therefore, I don't go to their tournaments, so that's not an issue for me. All my friends don't have an issue, and there definitely isn't an issue at my local GW, the irony being that at least two of the other chaps who are Forgeworld Heavy don't tend to win too many of their games, so that helps.