Everything you need to know about Warhammer: The Old World, explained

The land of legend has returned in Warhammer: The Old World after 15 years away. But why 🍌is that a big deal? And what's th༺is revived wargame about? 

To help clear all that up, we've put together this guide 📖covering everything you need to know about Warhammer: The Old World. That includes an overview of its factions, rules, lore, availability, and more. You can hear our hands-on impressions of the game itself, too.

Just want to see where you can buy it? Not to worry – we've got updates on where you can currꦯently pick up Warham🃏mer: The Old World.

What is Warhammer: The Old World?

An army of Bretonnians and Tomb Kings clash on a fantasy battlefield with grassy fields, trees, and medieval buildings

(Image credit: Warhammer)
  • Mass-battle system with blocks of troops
  • A reimagining of an older wargame
  • Uses larger armies than other Warhammer games

Rather than being an all-new game, Warhammer: The Old World is more of a revival. It resurrects Warhammer Fantasy Battles (which was p🐼ublish🌼er Games Workshop's first wargame) with all-new rules after it was shuttered over a decade ago. 

Basically, it's a mass-battle system with crunchy rules and depth to spare. That means you'll be comma☂nding blocks of troops rather than the indi꧅vidual skirmishers you'd find in something like Warhammer 40,000.

Because its universe is the stuff of classic swords 'n' sorcery, you can choose from a variety of fantasy staples as well. We're tal♋king knights in shining armor, dwarves, elves, and orcs.

Warhammer: The Old World is an origin 𒈔story for the apocal𝓡ypse

Warhammer Community

So, why is this game called 'The Old 🐟World?' That title is a reference to its setting, which is commonly referred to as 'The Old World' in-universe.&🌼nbsp;

That name has a dꦓouble meaning, t😼hough. To be precise, publisher Games Workshop destroyed the Old World (via demonic apocalypse) in 2015 to make way for its new, follow-up setting - Age of Sigmar. As a result, the title is quite literal.

Warhammer: The Old World release date

The Core Rulebook, dice, and markers on a green field

(Image credit: Warhammer Community)

The new wargame is due to hit shelves on January 20, 2024. You can theoretically pre-order it now, but most produﷺcts with an Old World label have been selling fast. In fact, some retailers ran out of stock just a couple of days after pre-orders began. 

We don't know yet how often the game will be updated with fresh rules and new models, but it'll probab🏅ly be a few months until we get reinforcements for other factions.

Warhammer: The Old World factions

Warhammer: The Old World map

(Image credit: Warhammer Community, Games Worksh💛op)
  • Nine factions are available
  • Only two have new miniatures right now
  • You can use your old Warhammer Fantasy armies

At the time of writing, there are nine Warhammer: The Old World factions up for grabs. While that's not every army from the setting, there's a good reason why some are absent in the g🐲ame 💎(which we'll go into later).

Here's who you can play as:

Kingdom of Bretonnia: A feudal kingdom of gallant knights and destitute peasants. They rely on🎃 weak, expendable infantry and hard-as-nails cavalry. This is one of the only factions to receive new miniatures so far, and it's featured in a Warhammer: The Old World Core Set. This is tricky to find at the moment, but w🐲e've seen stock at in the US and cheaper backorders at in the UK.

Tomb Kings of Khemri: An Ancient Egypt-inspired army of skeletons, led by undead sorcerers. This is the second faction to get a Core Set for Warhammer: ꦺThe Old World, not to mention new models that go with it. Those are easier to find than Bretonnia, and we've seen them at in the US and in the UK.

Empire of Man: This is the largest human nation in the Old World, and it's full of madcap inventions - the least wacky of which are muskets. Although they don't have new models yet, they'll likely be amongst the first to receive reinforcements due to their prominence in Warhammer lore. If you don't have models already, you're be💙tter off with as reprints haven't happened yet.

Dwarfen Mountain Holds: Your classic fantasy staple with long-held grudges, 🦋magnificent beards, and underground strongholds. No new miniatures have been announced for this faction yet, but they already have enough to help them stand out - like medieval helicopters. Seeing as there hasn't been a reprint, your best bet is to scoop up old minis at .

High Elf Realms: Noble but arrogant magic-wielders 🤪that are some of the Old World's oldest beings. While they have standard spearmen and archers like everyone else, they're particularly keen on fantastical beasts and sorcery. They've not had a revamp/reprint yet, so check in with for models.

Wood Elf Realms: Tree-hugging archers who keep to themselves. They really don't like it if you mess with their forests and often team up with dryads to protect it. They haven't gotten reinforcements at the time of writing, but their kingdom's proximity to Bretonnia means wꦡe may see some before long. Get some models from if you can't wait until they appe𝐆ar!

Orc & Goblin Tribes: Iconic foes that a♕lmost literally live to fight. They're an ever-present threat in the Old World, and tend to be defined by their disorganized but deadly mobs... that can devolve 💝into squabbling fist-fights if you're not careful. Until they're reprinted, you can grab old kits from .

Warriors of Chaos: Humans who have thrown in their lot with the Chaos gods, earning boons (and really cool armor) in the process. Their infantry is lege🥃ndarily tough. They haven't had a reprint 🦋in time for the game's launch, so grab some old minis from .

Beastmen Brayherds: Feral monsters warped by Chaos that excel at guerrilla warfare. They have a lot of heavy-hitting beasts on the payroll. However, none of them have had a reprint yet so you'll need t𝔍o make do with older kits on for now.

While it's true that there aren't new models for every army (just Bretonnians and Tomb Kings at the time of writing), you can still use any Warhammer Fantas🍸y Battle force you have lying around. In addition, these factions will apparently receive reinforcements at some point down the line.

Which factions are missing from Warhammer: The Old World?

Half a dozen armies have been left out of The Old World, and fans of those forces are understandably upset. T✅hese are the missing factions:

- Skaven
- Vampire Counts
- Lizardmen
- Daemons of Chaos
- Chaos Dwarfs
- Ogres
- Dark Elves

According to Games Workshop, they were left out of the party because they weren't active༺ (or were minding their own business far away𝐆) during the time in which The Old World is set. 

While this is disappointing, each of these factions will receive free PDF rules for use in The Old Wor🐼ld.

Warhammer: The Old World story

Men-At-Arms stand ready in battle formation

(Image credit: Games Workshop)
  • Set centuries before the original game
  • Described as the start of an apocalypse
  • Leads to this universe's "Horus Heresy moment"

Because The Old World is set hundreds of years before previous plots (which played out across countless novels and the now-defunct Warhammer Fantasy Battles game), things are more peaceful than fans will be usꦛed to. Of course, that means it's about to hit th🦩e fan in the worst way possible.

The first core sets revolve around Tomb King Settra's invasion of a region called the Border Princes, and the noble Bretonnian knights have ridden south to face his undead armies. We suspect this will start a domino effect that leads us to the infamous Siege of Praag, an event already being teased by the developers. This saw a resurgence of th🐟e resurgence of Chaos hordes that's already being teased by the developers, and these warriors will eventually destroy the world.

When is Warhammer: The Old World set?

from developers on the official Warhammer Community site that we'll see those events play out on tabletop some day. Indeed, it was noted that "you won’t see the Siege of Praag any time soon𝓀, but the wheels have been set in motion…"

Warhammer: The Old World US deals

Kingdoms of Bretonnia Core Set | $254.99 at Third Eye Comics
Price check:

Kingdoms of Bretonnia Core Set |
This is one of the few places we've been able to find a Bretonnian Core Set so close to release.

Price check:
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Tomb Kings of Khemri Core Set | $290$246.50 at Gamer's Guild
Save $43 - Price check:

Tomb Kings of Khemri Core Set |
Save $43 - The Tomb Kings Core Set is easier to find on the whole, but that discount is a real bonus!

Price check:
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  • Ravening Hordes book |
  • Forces of Fantasy book |
  • Bretonnia Arcane Journal |
  • Tomb Kings Arcane Journal |
  • Modular Movement Trays |
  • Pegasus Knights |
  • Battle Standard on Royal Pegasus |
  • Tomb Guard |
  • Sepulchral Stalkers |
  • Necrosphinx |
  • Core Rulebook |

Warhammer: The Old World UK deals

Kingdoms of Bretonnia Core Set | £155 £136.40 at Firestorm Games
Save £18 - Price check:

Kingdoms of Bretonnia Core Set |
Save £18 - Although this is a second wave printing, which means it may not arrive in time for the January 20th release, that's better than nothing!

Price check:
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Tomb Kings of Khemri Core Set | £175 at Gathering Games
Price check:

Tomb Kings of Khemri Core Set |
While the Tomb Kings box is a lot easier to find in stores than the Bretonnian equivalent, that doesn't mean it's easy. This retailer still has stock, though.

Price check:
💲
💲

  • Core Rulebook |
  • Ravening Hordes book |
  • Forces of Fantasy book |
  • Bretonnia Arcane Journal |
  • Tomb Kings Arcane Journal |
  • Modular Movement Trays |
  • Pegasus Knights |
  • Battle Standard on Royal Pegasus |
  • Tomb Guard |
  • Sepulchral Stalkers |
  • Necrosphinx |

Warhammer: The Old World FAQ

A Tomb King points their staff, and a Lady of the Grail rides on a unicorn

(Image credit: Warhammer Community)

What makes Warhammer: The Old World different?

Warhammer: The Old World is a mass-battle tab𒐪letop game where you command miniature fantasy armies. While that could describe anything produced by Games Workshop, the scope is f🐟ar bigger here.

More specifically, your forces include rank upon rank of soldiers who move as a single unit. Positioning is far more important as a result; there's a real focus on charges and where an enemy hits your troops, allowing for devastating flanking maneuvers if you play it smartꦐ.

The Old World is still recognizably Warhammer, and still recognizable🦩 to players who play and remember [Fantasy B൩attles]

Warhammer Community

Finally, The Old World is more 'classic' fantasy than Games Workshop's oᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚther swords '🔯n' sorcery setting, Age of Sigmar. This is a pick-n-mix of everything cool about fantasy fiction.

As per usual for Warhammer, all of The Old Worl🐼d's models are supplied unassembled and unpainted.🐬 Notably, they also come with larger 25mm bases to help units line up easily. 

Can you use your old Warhammer Fantasy Battles armies?

It's been confirmed that you can - and are encouraged to - use your pre-existing Warha✨mmer Fantasy Battles collection for The Old World. However, there's a caveat. Some factions aren't featured in the game's time-period, so won't get any updates or support for the forseeable future. 

In addition, competitive play requires you to use The Old World's larger 25mm bases. Alternatively, you can put your models onto the 🦂new Movement Trays that provide them with an appropriate footprint on the battlefield.

Why are factions missing from Warhammer: The Old World?

Despite what you might think, the absence of some armies isn't a comment on their quality or a cheeky sales tactic. Rather, it's due to lore that was 🐼established quite a while ago – and long before this game came into being. 

During this time period, many factions simply weren't as active. Skaven ratmen found themselves in the midst of a civil war, for example (which is why they've become the stuff of legend by the era seen in Warhammer Fantasy Battles). Chaos was gathering strength, so Daemons sat it all out. The Vampire Counts had been wiped out in the recent past, and they wouldn't return for a long time. Meanwhile, Lizardmen, 🦹Chaos Dwarfs, Ogres, and Dark Elves were all insular civ꧒ilizations at this point that lived far, far away from The Old World. 


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Benjamin Abbott
Tabletop & Merch Editor

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the 𝓰latest Lego news.