Warhammer: The Old World is Games Workshop’s return to mass rank-and-file fantasy battle — regiments of infantry, cavalry and monsters manoeuvring in tight formations across the tabletop. It carries forward the classic “Warhammer Fantasy Battle” engine, where the outcome of a fight depends as much on ranks, flanks and formation as on the dice. Rules evolve, so treat the specifics below as the durable core rather than exact current wording.
What dice The Old World uses
This is a six-sided dice game through and through, and you will throw them by the fistful. Nearly every test is a target number on a d6 — roll that number or higher to succeed. A unit’s profile carries the familiar characteristics: Weapon Skill (WS), Strength (S), Toughness (T), plus Movement, Initiative, Attacks, Leadership and more. Those numbers feed into the to-hit and to-wound charts rather than into flat target numbers, which is the classic feel that sets The Old World apart from more streamlined games.
The close-combat sequence
When two units fight, each side works through the same chain, rolling a pile of dice at each step and carrying successes forward:
| Step | What you roll |
|---|---|
| 1. To hit | Roll a d6 per attack and compare your Weapon Skill to the enemy’s on the to-hit chart. Roughly, matched skill hits on a 4+, out-classing the foe improves it toward 3+, and being badly out-skilled pushes it to 5+. |
| 2. To wound | For each hit, roll a d6 comparing your Strength to the target’s Toughness on the to-wound chart — equal values wound on a 4+, higher Strength improves it, higher Toughness worsens it. |
| 3. Armour save | The defender rolls a d6 against their armour save, worsened by the attacker’s Strength (its armour-piercing effect). A failed save lets the wound through. |
| 4. Remove casualties | Each unsaved wound removes a model. Because units are ranked up, casualties usually come off the back, keeping the fighting rank intact. |
Shooting and magic follow a similar to-hit / to-wound / save logic, so once you know the melee chain the rest of the game reads cleanly.
Combat resolution — the real decider
Killing models is only half of a fight. At the end of a round of combat both sides total their combat resolution: wounds caused, plus bonuses for extra ranks, for outnumbering, for attacking a flank or rear, for holding high ground and for a standard. The loser takes a Break test against their Leadership on 2d6; fail, and the unit flees and may be run down. This is why a well-formed regiment can win a combat it did not statistically “win” on kills — ranks and position tip the balance.
How a turn plays out
Players take alternating turns, each broadly structured into movement, shooting/magic and combat. Charging is the pivotal act: a successful charge lets your unit strike first and brings its full weight of attacks and rank bonuses to bear, while a charge that falls short can leave you badly exposed. Manoeuvring big blocks of models, wheeling to face threats and lining up a flank charge are the skills that separate strong generals from unlucky ones.
Winning and effective strategy
- Keep your ranks. The rank bonus and steadfast-style effects can decide a combat regardless of casualties. Losing your formation is worse than losing a few models.
- Charge the flank. Hitting a unit’s side or rear denies it much of its fighting power and hands you combat-resolution bonuses. A flank charge can break a unit that would beat you head-on.
- Win the movement phase. Charges, wheels and redirects are decided before any dice are thrown. Good positioning is the single biggest lever you control.
- Protect your general and standard. Leadership drives Break tests; keeping a high-Leadership character nearby keeps wavering units in the fight.
- Use the charts, not gut feel. Because to-hit and to-wound scale with WS, Strength and Toughness, the right match-up matters. Send your hard-hitters where their numbers actually bite.
Beginner tips and common mistakes
- Combat resolution is not a body count. Ranks, flanks and outnumbering all add up — count them every time or you will lose fights you thought you won.
- Measure your charges honestly. A failed charge leaves you stranded in the open. Know your charge range before committing.
- Don’t break formation chasing kills. Peeling models out of rank to reach an enemy usually costs you more in bonuses than it gains in wounds.
- Roll one step at a time. Keep hit dice, wound dice and saves separate; mixing them inflates results.
- Editions and army books differ. The Old World has evolving rules and per-army lists — always confirm current charts and unit rules before a game.
Rank-and-file combat means throwing a lot of dice per fight and totting up wounds fast. A physics roller lets you fling a whole handful at once and read the total instantly — no dice rolling off the table mid-charge.
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🎲 Roll dice freePrefer the same mass-battle feel with a more modern rules engine? Read our Age of Sigmar dice & strategy guide.